Importance of van der Waals Interactions in QM/MM Simulations

The importance of accurately treating van der Waals interactions between the quantum mechanical (QM) and molecular mechanical (MM) atoms in hybrid QM/MM simulations has been investigated systematically. First, a set of van der Waals (vdW) parameters was optimized for an approximate density functional method, the self-consistent charge-tight binding density functional (SCC-DFTB) approach, based on small hydrogen-bonding clusters. The sensitivity of condensed phase observables to the SCC-DFTB vdW parameters was then quantitatively investigated by SCC-DFTB/MM simulations of several model systems using the optimized set and two sets of extreme vdW parameters selected from the CHARMM22 forcefield. The model systems include a model FAD molecule in solution and a solvated enediolate, and the properties studied include the radial distribution functions of water molecules around the solute (model FAD and enediolate), the reduction potential of the model FAD and the potential of mean force for an intramolecular proton transfer in the enediolate. Although there are noticeable differences between parameter sets for gas-phase clusters and solvent structures around the solute, thermodynamic quantities in the condensed phase (e.g., reduction potential and potential of mean force) were found to be less sensitive to the numerical values of vdW parameters. The differences between SCC-DFTB/MM results with the three vdW parameter sets for SCC-DFTB atoms were explained in terms of the effects of the parameter set on solvation. The current study has made it clear that efforts in improving the reliability of QM/MM methods for energetical properties in the condensed phase should focus on components other than van der Waals interactions between QM and MM atoms.