CDFT-CI Coupling convergence issue

Hello, I am trying to perform a CDFT-CI calculation in Q-Chem 6.4 for an intramolecular donor–bridge-acceptor system that is an anion radical (overall charge = −1, multiplicity = 2). My goal is to model electron transfer between two fragments:

  • Donor region: atoms 1–21
  • Acceptor region: atoms 38–54
    I am having difficulty determining the correct CDFT-CI constraints. My current input file:
$molecule
-1 2
C         -1.05752       -1.39603        0.86890
C         -1.98340       -1.07935        1.87509
C         -3.34662       -1.24635        1.73247
C         -3.93541       -1.76228        0.52891
C         -2.97880       -2.08119       -0.49354
C         -1.62407       -1.89930       -0.31619
C         -5.34379       -1.95340        0.36716
C         -6.31069       -1.47018        1.31826
C         -7.66613       -1.66360        1.15836
C         -8.19340       -2.35200        0.05048
C         -7.27318       -2.83557       -0.89836
C         -5.91515       -2.64747       -0.75702
H         -1.58975       -0.70472        2.81804
H         -3.98378       -1.00946        2.57968
H         -3.32679       -2.46107       -1.44983
H         -0.94209       -2.15306       -1.12869
H         -5.97198       -0.90580        2.18253
H         -8.34434       -1.26407        1.91282
H         -9.26240       -2.50178       -0.06982
H         -7.63806       -3.37920       -1.77023
H         -5.25798       -3.06873       -1.51271
C          2.32798        0.56276        0.74525
C          3.14409       -0.64894        1.22539
C          2.49538       -1.29493        2.46371
C          0.95405       -1.19003        2.45442
C          0.44023       -1.18585        1.00607
C          0.89635        0.13018        0.31945
H          2.23755        1.24048        1.60426
H          4.17184       -0.34247        1.44840
H          3.21508       -1.37812        0.40891
H          2.79317       -2.34859        2.51161
H          2.88750       -0.82228        3.37161
H          0.64954       -0.26026        2.95605
H          0.52972       -2.01873        3.03046
H          0.95180       -2.01863        0.48928
H          0.84777        0.00310       -0.76789
H          0.20224        0.94114        0.56352
C          5.43790        5.25355       -1.94193
C          5.64548        4.63013       -3.19452
C          5.16854        3.36453       -3.42033
C          4.46393        2.66271       -2.40928
C          4.25120        3.28906       -1.15122
C          4.75746        4.59930       -0.94725
C          3.95839        1.35053       -2.60502
C          3.28103        0.70388       -1.60857
C          3.05532        1.31836       -0.34497
C          3.54208        2.58620       -0.14148
H          5.81806        6.25633       -1.77219
H          6.18181        5.15878       -3.97642
H          5.32100        2.88069       -4.38152
H          4.59600        5.07771        0.01512
H          4.11384        0.86582       -3.56523
H          2.90138       -0.29899       -1.78267
H          3.38478        3.07583        0.81721
$end

$rem
BASIS  = 6-31G**
METHOD  = wB97X-D
CDFTCI  = 1
CDFTCI_PRINT  = 2
GUI  = 2
JOB_TYPE  = SP
SCF_MAX_CYCLES  = 200
SYMMETRY  = FALSE
SYM_IGNORE = TRUE
UNRESTRICTED = TRUE
MEM_TOTAL = 248000
MEM_STATIC = 4000
$end

$cdft
  1.0
  1.0   1   21
  1.0
  1.0   1   21  s   
---
  1
  1.0   38  54
  1
  1.0   38  54  s  
$end

I am getting an “invalid charge and spin” error in the output file, so I am not sure whether my CDFT-CI constraints are defined correctly. Since this is a covalently linked donor–bridge–acceptor system, should I include the bridge atoms in the CDFT-CI regions, or is it sufficient to define only the donor (atoms 1–21) and acceptor (atoms 38–54) fragments?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.