Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026

High-Speed Magnetic Tweezers for Nanomechanical Measurements on Force-Sensitive Elements
Published on: May 12, 2023
Spin-Component Scaling Methods for Weak and Stacking Interactions
J Grant Hill1, James A Platts1
1School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, U.K.
Abstract:
New scaling parameters are presented for use in the spin-component scaled (SCS) variant of density fitted local second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (DF-LMP2) that have been optimized for use in evaluating the interaction energy between nucleic acid base pairs. The optimal set of parameters completely neglects the contribution from antiparallel-spin electron pairs to the MP2 energy while scaling the parallel contribution by 1.76. These spin-component scaled for nucleobases (SCSN) parameters are obtained by minimizing, with respect to SCS parameters, the rms interaction energy error relative to the best available literature values, over a set of ten stacked nucleic acid base pairs. The applicability of this scaling to a wide variety of noncovalent interactions is verified through evaluation of a larger set of model complexes, including those dominated by dispersion and electrostatics.
Related Concept Videos
Spin–Spin Coupling Constant: Overview
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must...
Spin–Spin Coupling: Three-Bond Coupling (Vicinal Coupling)
The extent of coupling depends on the C‑C bond length, the two H‑C‑C angles, any electron-withdrawing substituents, and the dihedral angle between the involved orbitals. The...
Spin–Spin Coupling: One-Bond Coupling
¹H NMR: Interpreting Distorted and Overlapping Signals
As Δν decreases and the signals move closer, the doublets appear increasingly distorted. The intensities of the inner lines increase at the cost of those of the outer lines as the signals are...
Spin–Spin Coupling: Two-Bond Coupling (Geminal Coupling)
The central atom need not be NMR-active because its electrons are affected by the electron polarization of the spin-active atoms. However, spin information is transmitted less effectively than in one-bond coupling, and 2J values are usually weaker than 1J values. The energy of...
Van der Waals Interactions

