Andy Voelker

Spartan is a molecular modeling and computational chemistry application from Wavefunction. It contains code for molecular mechanics, semi-empirical methods, ab initio models, density functional models, post-Hartree–Fock models, and thermochemical recipes including G3(MP2) and T1.

Primary functions are to supply information about structures, relative stabilities and other properties of isolated molecules. Molecular mechanics calculations on complex molecules are common in the chemical community. Quantum chemical calculations, including Hartree–Fock molecular orbital calculations, but especially calculations that include electron correlation, are more time consuming in comparison.

Quantum chemical calculations are also called upon to furnish information about mechanisms and product distributions of chemical reactions, either directly by calculations on transition states, or based on the Hammond Postulate, by modeling the steric and electronic demands of the reactants. Quantitative calculations, leading directly to information about the geometries of transition states, and about reaction mechanisms in general, are increasingly common, while qualitative models are still needed for systems that are too large to be subjected to more rigorous treatments. Quantum chemical calculations can supply information to complement existing experimental data or replace it altogether, for example, atomic charges for QSAR analyses, and intermolecular potentials for molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics calculations.

Spartan applies computational chemistry methods (theoretical models) to a number of a standard tasks that provide calculated data applicable to the determination of molecular shape (conformation), structure (equilibrium and transition state geometry), NMR, IR, Raman, and UV/visible spectra, molecular (and atomic) properties, reactivity and selectivity.