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Universal Multireference Diagnostics for High-Throughput Screening of Large Molecules and Solids

Project description

Computational prediction of complex molecule behaviour

Computational chemistry allows scientists to simulate and predict molecular properties, accelerating drug discovery and materials design without costly laboratory experiments. Density functional theory is the most widely used computational method, offering a practical balance between accuracy and computational cost. However, this method does not produce reliable results with multireference systems, a class of molecules exhibiting complex electronic behaviour. Identifying these problematic cases before running expensive calculations is therefore critical. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the UniMRD project will work to develop universal diagnostic tools capable of rapidly identifying multireference character across a broad range of molecules and materials. These tools will improve the reliability of computational chemistry workflows, with broad applications in pharmaceuticals, materials science and beyond.

Objective

Computational chemistry is one of the most significant branches of modern chemical research. The favourable efficiency/cost ratio of density functional theory (DFT) has extended its applications to the prediction of molecular properties such as spectroscopic constants, nonlinear optical properties, and reaction mechanisms to drug discovery in pharmaceutical industries and materials design in supramolecular industries. Its importance has only increased with the resurgence of machine learning and the advent of artificial intelligence.

Despite the widespread use of DFT, current density functional approximations can capture well the so-called nondynamic electron correlation, severely compromising the simulations whenever these multireference (MR) effects comes into play. Hence, the development of correlation diagnostics capable of identifying MR systems is critical for computational chemistry. Such diagnostics are valuable not only for high-throughput screening but also for individual molecular studies, where accurate simulation depends on the selection of an appropriate computational method. This need is even more evident in periodic systems, where technologically critical properties –such as magnetic behaviour, optical responses, and metal–insulator transitions– depend sensitively on its accurate treatment.

UniMRD aims to develop universal MR diagnostics capable of predicting MR character across a broad range of molecules and materials, while requiring minimal computational resources and ensuring both reliability and wide applicability.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF

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Coordinator

FUNDACION DONOSTIA INTERNATIONAL PHYSICS CENTER
Net EU contribution
€ 194 074,56
Address
PASEO MANUEL LARDIZABAL 4
20018 Donostia San Sebastian
Spain
Region
Noreste País Vasco Gipuzkoa
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost
No data

Partners (1)