G92: charge-fitting and polarizabilities



 Greetings, Gaussian-ophiles.
 We are attempting to use Gaussian 92 to obtain charges to use in a MD
 simulation of formaldehyde.  We are running Gaussian on an
 IBM RISC-station.
 We are having trouble with the population=(chelpg,dipole) option
 with the 6-311G** basis.  For some reason, the chelpg routine
 thinks that the dipole moment in the z-direction is 13.94D,
 rather than the 2.77D it should be.  Furthermore, chelpg
 assigns different charges to the two hydrogen atoms of formaldehyde.
 A similar problem occurs when we use population=(chelpg),
 again with the 6-311G** basis: the molecule develops a net
 dipole along the y-axis, in violation of the molecular symmetry.
 We have noticed that the 6-31G** basis does not suffer from
 this problem, and gives the expected result.  Nevertheless, I would
 like to use a triple-zeta basis set rather than a double-zeta basis.
 The same type of problem occurs at the MP2 level of theory, and also using
 the scf=(tight,direct) keyword.  Have others out there seen this behavior,
 and have quick fixes that we are overlooking?
 Below are the input file and parts of the output file.  Please direct
 personal replies to bader -8 at 8- chem.columbia.edu.  Thank you.
 Joel Bader and Daniel Mainz, Dept. of Chemistry, Columbia University
 Input file:
 ---------------------------------------------
 #RHF 6-311G** population=(chelpg,dipole) scf=(direct) test
 formaldehyde experimental geometry
 0 1
 O
 C 1 CO
 H 2 CH 1 AHCO
 H 2 CH 1 AHCO 3 AD
 CO 1.203
 CH 1.099
 AHCO 121.75
 AD 180.
 Relevant parts of the output file:
 ----------------------------------------------
  Dipole moment (Debye):                         /*from the wave function*/
     X=      .0000    Y=      .0000    Z=    -2.7715  Tot=     2.7715
                                              ^ makes sense.
 ....
  Breneman (CHELPG) radii used for charge fitting
  Generate Potential Derived Charges using the Brenneman model, NDens= 1.
  Grid spacing=  .300 Box extension= 2.800
  NStep X,Y,Z=   19     25     25   Total possible points=       11875
  Number of Points to Fit=    4808
  Charge=    .00000 Dipole=      .0000     -.2127   -13.9414 Tot=    13.9431
               1
   1  O   -1.798223                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
   2  C     .519942                        What's going on here?
   3  H     .615452
   4  H     .662829