Computational Considerations in Catalysis: From Regioselectivity to Metal-Ligand Dissociation

The utility of a range of computational chemistry approaches for the prediction of the regioselectivity for hydroformylation processes and metal-ligand dissociation in a model organometallic system is considered to provide insight about computational strategies for use in catalysis. Several density functional theory (DFT) approaches and ab initio methods are considered. As well, the study demonstrates a broad range of predictions achievable using a variety of DFT approaches, which is, as discussed, a manifestation of the challenges that are encountered for calculations involving transition metal molecular species, illustrating the critical need to gauge computational chemistry methods.