Grofe, Adam2018-08-142018-08-142018-01https://hdl.handle.net/11299/199079University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. January 2018. Major: Chemistry. Advisor: Jiali Gao. 1 computer file (PDF); xx, 207 pages.This dissertation is contains two separates areas of research. The first three Chapters focus on the development and several proof-of-concepts for multistate density functional theory (MSDFT) regarding excited state chemistry. When performing configuration interaction (CI) on density functional theory (DFT), there is a danger of double-counting with regard to correlation. It is shown that it is possible to remove double counting in a systematic way by combining wave function theory with DFT, and that MSDFT has the correct topology with regard to conical intersection because it fundamentally includes coupling between the excited state densities and the ground state density, which is not true for time-dependent DFT. This was revealed for the dissociation of ammonia, and Jahn-Teller conical intersections. Block localized DFT was used to assemble diabatic states that can be optimized separately and permits the use of chemical intuition by defining the states in a relatively straightforward manner. Finally, the MSDFT formalism was used to optimize spin-multiplet states with the correct degeneracy, which can be difficult in DFT due to the nonlinearity of the current exchange-correlation functionals. The second section of this dissertation regard vibrational dynamics. There is a multitude of methods for computing the vibrational frequency, but very few that simultaneously model anharmonicity and nuclear quantum effects in a manner that is efficient enough for computing frequency trajectories. Quantum vibration perturbation (QVP) theory satisfies all three of these criteria. This is accomplished by utilizing two approximations: (1) A discrete variable representation of the nuclear wave function is used that only requires single point energy calculations to optimize the wave function, (2) Perturbation theory is used to update the wave function across a set of configurations, which circumvents the need to solve the Schrödinger equation. The first application of this model is on hydrochloric acid in minimal solvation shells (water), and acetone bulk solvation dynamics. An implementation strategy is presented that allows for a reference normal mode to be applied across a trajectory. Then QVP is used to probe the condensed phase solvation dynamics of a carbonyl stretch and two silane stretches.enElectronic StructureMolecular DynamicsMSDFTQVPSolvatochromismThesis or Dissertation