Using solvent in the Freezing String Method

Hello everybody,
When using the solvent in the Freezing String Method, I get an error. Is using solvent in this method not an option?

Explicit or Implicit solvent?

Please provide an input file and also describe the error that you encounter (e.g., by providing snippet from Q-Chem output). Seems to work for me, with the latest version of Q-Chem.

Hello James and John,
The following is the result of a fsm calculation using the SMD solvent method, which ends with an error. This job is normally completed by removing the solvent from the input.

Q-Chem 5.3 (devel), Q-Chem, Inc., Pleasanton, CA (2020)
My input:

$molecule
   0  1
 C                  1.12667000   -1.79600500   -0.36835700
 H                  3.38635700   -4.16287700   -0.26360400
 N                  0.36920200   -2.91274000   -0.40550800
 C                  1.16523000   -4.04876900   -0.36738300
 C                  2.44995100   -3.62200000   -0.30677600
 N                  2.40336800   -2.23788200   -0.30773200
 H                  0.73533300   -5.04208000   -0.38879500
 C                 -1.18980700   -2.97016100    2.01401300
 C                  3.18784700   -0.81833200   -2.69309700
 C                 -1.06282100   -2.92271700   -0.51235900
 C                 -1.63291200   -2.91137000   -1.78956700
 C                 -3.02589900   -2.92836100   -1.87605700
 C                 -3.83035500   -2.93711800   -0.73599100
 C                 -3.21652800   -2.94728400    0.51907900
 C                 -1.82908900   -2.94800200    0.65998700
 C                 -0.78340900   -2.84894500   -3.02246200
 H                 -3.49300600   -2.92119200   -2.86288900
 C                 -5.32284900   -2.88021900   -0.84902100
 H                 -3.83620300   -2.95571900    1.41771500
 C                  3.52338100   -1.34245100   -0.23439800
 C                  4.15061600   -1.15881600    1.00519500
 C                  5.18188700   -0.22476200    1.07056700
 C                  5.58618100    0.50774300   -0.04845800
 C                  4.93410100    0.28991700   -1.26202800
 C                  3.89447600   -0.63352200   -1.38270200
 C                  3.72045000   -1.92510000    2.21800300
 H                  5.68064700   -0.05839000    2.02708400
 C                  6.71676200    1.48566400    0.05442800
 H                  5.24183200    0.85329000   -2.14483700
 H                 -0.30877200   -1.86119600   -3.12952100
 H                 -1.38709700   -3.02358700   -3.92039800
 H                  0.02740900   -3.59035500   -3.00756900
 H                 -1.95395400   -2.98916900    2.80013700
 H                 -0.55703500   -2.08657300    2.19519400
 H                 -0.54663000   -3.85239000    2.14445100
 H                 -5.68654800   -1.86026200   -0.65388900
 H                 -5.80944600   -3.53672100   -0.11628300
 H                 -5.66472100   -3.16688400   -1.85116200
 H                  6.67407000    2.04976000    0.99494700
 H                  6.70903000    2.20121000   -0.77668300
 H                  7.68736300    0.96922400    0.03505600
 H                  2.24078300   -0.25372100   -2.71781400
 H                  2.93709600   -1.87030800   -2.88730900
 H                  3.80633000   -0.45321900   -3.52157400
 H                  4.23740000   -1.55427500    3.11059700
 H                  3.94323400   -2.99740700    2.12421100
 H                  2.63925900   -1.82634800    2.39709000
 Au                 0.66719600    0.26734600   -0.40473600
 H                 -0.89191900    2.30034500   -2.21674700
 C                  0.55410200    2.31494800   -0.60057800
 C                  1.45150900    3.08273000    0.14876400
 C                 -0.14965100    2.88177800   -1.66639000
 C                  1.70442200    4.40173900   -0.22789700
 C                  0.10886800    4.20109800   -2.03367800
 C                  1.03274400    4.95814600   -1.31444200
 C                 -2.79268600    1.50574100   -0.17911700
 C                 -3.21963100    0.54321100   -1.08542100
 C                 -4.09489200    0.92096100   -2.10134300
 C                 -4.53116000    2.24085500   -2.19032000
 C                 -4.09867100    3.18957800   -1.26529900
 C                 -3.21856800    2.82759000   -0.24863000
 H                 -2.87605900   -0.48755500   -1.00961700
 H                 -4.43655700    0.17501900   -2.81859900
 H                 -5.21493800    2.53335900   -2.98518500
 H                 -4.44334800    4.21972100   -1.33585600
 H                 -2.86104300    3.56572100    0.46857700
 I                 -1.40701500    0.93432600    1.35691200
 Cl                 0.73940000    0.18650000    3.43146300
 Cl                -3.54153700    0.86552600    3.10317400
 H                  1.21684600    5.99486900   -1.59231200
 H                 -0.42122100    4.64056300   -2.87785900
 H                  2.41550200    4.99827300    0.34200100
 H                  1.96008900    2.65264100    1.01353300
****
 C                  1.31600100   -1.56339700   -0.10300000
 H                  3.65581400   -3.66193200    0.80733900
 N                  0.68885400   -2.75603400   -0.21761900
 C                  1.54115300   -3.79547900    0.12819400
 C                  2.72195600   -3.23067200    0.47091400
 N                  2.56486600   -1.86052300    0.32216200
 H                  1.21801700   -4.82788300    0.09636300
 C                 -1.17711100   -3.46415800    1.84828300
 C                  4.71034600   -1.67718900   -1.56881400
 C                 -0.69040100   -2.92205700   -0.58119800
 C                 -1.07206500   -2.74814600   -1.91538500
 C                 -2.43086800   -2.86867400   -2.21815900
 C                 -3.38151100   -3.15202500   -1.23867400
 C                 -2.95138000   -3.33774500    0.07790900
 C                 -1.60810500   -3.23841100    0.43114100
 C                 -0.07828400   -2.43996000   -2.99365000
 H                 -2.75112900   -2.73520100   -3.25308600
 C                 -4.83927100   -3.23959300   -1.57362100
 H                 -3.68547900   -3.55590800    0.85615300
 C                  3.59151800   -0.88439700    0.56012500
 C                  3.50882700   -0.06334700    1.68780500
 C                  4.49213900    0.91741600    1.84767400
 C                  5.52870000    1.07637200    0.93236800
 C                  5.58609300    0.21439600   -0.16696000
 C                  4.63057200   -0.77422900   -0.37644000
 C                  2.42567800   -0.19297700    2.71710900
 H                  4.44537400    1.56712200    2.72384600
 C                  6.57495100    2.13326600    1.11598100
 H                  6.39652500    0.32497300   -0.89014200
 H                  0.18002900   -1.37028800   -3.01684400
 H                 -0.48565200   -2.70044100   -3.97770800
 H                  0.86387800   -2.98834800   -2.85628200
 H                 -2.02454000   -3.34428800    2.53350500
 H                 -0.38811900   -2.76660600    2.16193800
 H                 -0.77932200   -4.47977100    1.98883600
 H                 -5.43279100   -2.58039400   -0.92458200
 H                 -5.22364000   -4.25834900   -1.42425000
 H                 -5.03284200   -2.95761400   -2.61571400
 H                  6.61584000    2.80523600    0.24784400
 H                  7.57474400    1.68927500    1.22027700
 H                  6.38220800    2.74319200    2.00660300
 H                  3.73445100   -1.78349100   -2.06226100
 H                  5.05091000   -2.68617600   -1.29494800
 H                  5.41856700   -1.27952100   -2.30503200
 H                  2.82780700   -0.00375600    3.72029100
 H                  1.96131100   -1.18740000    2.72289800
 H                  1.62807300    0.54887600    2.55427200
 Au                 0.57746900    0.41326100   -0.52550000
 H                 -1.34101700    1.79448200   -2.55136700
 C                 -0.08787500    2.33988300   -0.87505900
 C                  0.39168600    3.37727600   -0.07777900
 C                 -0.96913100    2.60450900   -1.92037200
 C                 -0.02151500    4.68796200   -0.32669900
 C                 -1.38048800    3.91554300   -2.16256700
 C                 -0.90906500    4.95649600   -1.36540200
 C                 -2.88279900    1.18323800    0.46254900
 C                 -3.51038400    0.44221000   -0.52888600
 C                 -4.56722300    1.03365900   -1.21836000
 C                 -4.97343200    2.32753200   -0.90305300
 C                 -4.32964700    3.04121400    0.10494500
 C                 -3.26713000    2.47200700    0.80389400
 H                 -3.18605200   -0.57075900   -0.76623600
 H                 -5.07217400    0.47231300   -2.00321400
 H                 -5.80014900    2.78321800   -1.44481300
 H                 -4.64877200    4.05210600    0.35225000
 H                 -2.75424200    3.02339600    1.58983400
 I                 -1.24909300    0.29237000    1.51114000
 Cl                 2.08878900    0.71661000   -2.40351200
 Cl                -3.32559100   -0.09582800    3.78832600
 H                 -1.23316300    5.97882000   -1.55499900
 H                 -2.07330400    4.12005300   -2.97858800
 H                  0.35231700    5.49819600    0.29877700
 H                  1.08631300    3.17313800    0.74063700
$end

$rem
   JOBTYPE       fsm
   FSM_NGRAD     6
   FSM_NNODE     35
   FSM_MODE      2
   FSM_OPT_MODE  2
   EXCHANGE        m06
   BASIS           GEN
   ECP             GEN
   SYMMETRY      false
   SYM_IGNORE    true
   MEM_TOTAL 40000
   MAX_SCF_CYCLES 1500
   SOLVENT_METHOD smd
$end

$smx
   solvent pentane
$end

$basis
Au     0
S   2   1.00
     30.1965370              0.0047330
      9.7259730             -0.3543820
S   1   1.00
      5.0804060              1.0000000
S   1   1.00
      1.7226570              1.0000000
S   1   1.00
      0.7264590              1.0000000
S   1   1.00
      0.0903540              1.0000000
S   1   1.00
      0.0221060              1.0000000
S   1   1.00
      0.0064150              1.0000000
P   4   1.00
     13.8382190              0.0361790
      5.1957870             -0.3283030
      1.7980450              0.6653880
      0.6661050              0.5526660
P   1   1.00
      0.1543360              1.0000000
P   1   1.00
      0.0340000              1.0000000
D   2   1.00
      6.3370010             -0.0441030
      1.4806970              0.4621150
D   1   1.00
      0.5283820              1.0000000
D   1   1.00
      0.1711170              1.0000000
D   1   1.00
      0.0455120              1.0000000
****
I     0
S   3   1.00
      2.1227650              1.1040280
      1.7704810             -1.5353260
      0.3130840              0.7516030
S   1   1.00
      0.1240710              1.0000000
P   3   1.00
      2.4328870              0.4422320
      2.1372490             -0.5838090
      0.3145460              0.6266060
P   1   1.00
      0.1049450              1.0000000
P   1   1.00
      0.0326410              1.0000000
****
H     0
S   3   1.00
      0.1873113696D+02       0.3349460434D-01
      0.2825394365D+01       0.2347269535D+00
      0.6401216923D+00       0.8137573261D+00
S   1   1.00
      0.1612777588D+00       1.0000000
****
C     0
S   6   1.00
      0.3047524880D+04       0.1834737132D-02
      0.4573695180D+03       0.1403732281D-01
      0.1039486850D+03       0.6884262226D-01
      0.2921015530D+02       0.2321844432D+00
      0.9286662960D+01       0.4679413484D+00
      0.3163926960D+01       0.3623119853D+00
SP   3   1.00
      0.7868272350D+01      -0.1193324198D+00       0.6899906659D-01
      0.1881288540D+01      -0.1608541517D+00       0.3164239610D+00
      0.5442492580D+00       0.1143456438D+01       0.7443082909D+00
SP   1   1.00
      0.1687144782D+00       0.1000000000D+01       0.1000000000D+01
D   1   1.00
      0.8000000000D+00       1.0000000
****
N     0
S   6   1.00
      0.4173511460D+04       0.1834772160D-02
      0.6274579110D+03       0.1399462700D-01
      0.1429020930D+03       0.6858655181D-01
      0.4023432930D+02       0.2322408730D+00
      0.1282021290D+02       0.4690699481D+00
      0.4390437010D+01       0.3604551991D+00
SP   3   1.00
      0.1162636186D+02      -0.1149611817D+00       0.6757974388D-01
      0.2716279807D+01      -0.1691174786D+00       0.3239072959D+00
      0.7722183966D+00       0.1145851947D+01       0.7408951398D+00
SP   1   1.00
      0.2120314975D+00       0.1000000000D+01       0.1000000000D+01
D   1   1.00
      0.8000000000D+00       1.0000000
****
Cl     0
S   6   1.00
      0.2518010000D+05       0.1832959848D-02
      0.3780350000D+04       0.1403419883D-01
      0.8604740000D+03       0.6909739426D-01
      0.2421450000D+03       0.2374519803D+00
      0.7733490000D+02       0.4830339599D+00
      0.2624700000D+02       0.3398559718D+00
SP   6   1.00
      0.4917650000D+03      -0.2297391417D-02       0.3989400879D-02
      0.1169840000D+03      -0.3071371894D-01       0.3031770668D-01
      0.3741530000D+02      -0.1125280694D+00       0.1298800286D+00
      0.1378340000D+02       0.4501632776D-01       0.3279510723D+00
      0.5452150000D+01       0.5893533634D+00       0.4535271000D+00
      0.2225880000D+01       0.4652062868D+00       0.2521540556D+00
SP   3   1.00
      0.3186490000D+01      -0.2518280280D+00      -0.1429931472D-01
      0.1144270000D+01       0.6158925141D-01       0.3235723331D+00
      0.4203770000D+00       0.1060184328D+01       0.7435077653D+00
SP   1   1.00
      0.1426570000D+00       0.1000000000D+01       0.1000000000D+01
D   1   1.00
      0.7500000000D+00       1.0000000
****
$end

$ecp
I     0
I-ECP     4     46
g potential
  1
2      1.000000000            0.000000000
s-g potential
  2
2      3.51120000            83.11386300
2      1.75560000             5.20187600
p-g potential
  2
2      2.96880000            82.81110900
2      1.48440000             3.37968200
d-g potential
  2
2      1.90660000            10.30427700
2      0.95330000             7.58803200
f-g potential
  1
2      2.30750000           -21.47793600
****
AU     0
AU-ECP     4     60
g potential
  1
2      1.000000000            0.000000000
s-g potential
  2
2     13.205100000          426.709840000
2      6.602550000           35.938824000
p-g potential
  2
2     10.452020000          261.161023000
2      5.226010000           26.626284000
d-g potential
  2
2      7.851100000          124.756831000
2      3.925550000           15.772260000
f-g potential
  2
2      4.789800000           30.568475000
2      2.394910000            5.183774000
****
$end

The end of the output that involves error:


 Calculating analytic gradient of the SCF energy
 Gradient of CDS energy
            1           2           3           4           5           6
    1   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000  -0.0012972  -0.0080117
    2   0.0000000  -0.0017250  -0.0063488  -0.0030633  -0.0078027  -0.0064601
    3   0.0000000   0.0004361  -0.0005321  -0.0080859  -0.0069134  -0.0026211
            7           8           9          10          11          12
    1  -0.0037684  -0.0040046  -0.0049730  -0.0060796   0.0000355  -0.0043648
    2  -0.0031668        -nan        -nan  -0.0047665        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0034961  -0.1422462  -0.0391344  -0.0025443  -0.0567026  -0.0516331
           13          14          15          16          17          18
    1  -0.0038357  -0.0058658  -0.0011308  -0.0053868  -0.0053787  -0.0073185
    2        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan
    3   0.0331620  -0.0094382  -0.0230840  -0.0633912  -0.0145585  -0.0375956
           19          20          21          22          23          24
    1  -0.0048743  -0.0047573  -0.0064740  -0.0032007  -0.0021577  -0.0065375
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0079741        -nan  -0.0053733        -nan
    3   0.0170885  -0.0075881  -0.0087258  -0.0744590  -0.0032592   0.0167416
           25          26          27          28          29          30
    1  -0.0048899  -0.0017702  -0.0062654  -0.0056117  -0.0039392  -0.0010346
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0085227        -nan        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0272649  -0.0755293  -0.0074229  -0.0198966   0.0163374  -0.0092072
           31          32          33          34          35          36
    1  -0.0030118  -0.0012272  -0.0029767  -0.0032797  -0.0014404  -0.0023967
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0030349  -0.0031285        -nan  -0.0022692
    3  -0.0110755  -0.0077355  -0.0029665  -0.0032292  -0.0096750  -0.0024864
           37          38          39          40          41          42
    1  -0.0025710  -0.0019058  -0.0000629  -0.0026064  -0.0029143  -0.0018394
    2        -nan        -nan   0.0005798        -nan        -nan  -0.0002295
    3  -0.0104231  -0.0168897   0.0004106  -0.0107932  -0.0169636  -0.0002616
           43          44          45          46          47          48
    1  -0.0038734  -0.0025050  -0.0033895  -0.0031774  -0.0000981   0.0017603
    2        -nan  -0.0024206  -0.0031815  -0.0027955        -nan  -0.0000333
    3  -0.0120681  -0.0020306  -0.0033267  -0.0024129  -0.0116023   0.0012514
           49          50          51          52          53          54
    1  -0.0006328   0.0000280   0.0000000  -0.0018698  -0.0029972  -0.0031004
    2  -0.0024969  -0.0020490  -0.0021634  -0.0055951  -0.0021167        -nan
    3   0.0000390  -0.0017475  -0.0033383  -0.0047573  -0.0008866  -0.0153162
           55          56          57          58          59          60
    1  -0.0021990  -0.0024049  -0.0044412  -0.0046035  -0.0029889  -0.0023575
    2        -nan        -nan        -nan  -0.0051856        -nan  -0.0028372
    3  -0.0445850  -0.0096719  -0.0356446  -0.0038680  -0.0179009  -0.0018800
           61          62          63          64          65          66
    1  -0.0032019   0.0006562  -0.0017655  -0.0029316  -0.0017987  -0.0017995
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0021657  -0.0024267        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0169682  -0.0229438  -0.0016846  -0.0020490  -0.0179409  -0.0095904
           67          68          69          70          71          72
    1   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
    2   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
    3   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
           73
    1   0.0000000
    2   0.0000000
    3   0.0000000
 Gradient of SCF Energy
            1           2           3           4           5           6
    1  -0.0031022   0.0024154  -0.0004741   0.0008785  -0.0041335  -0.0030106
    2  -0.0025433  -0.0037171  -0.0036910   0.0001596  -0.0073292   0.0000719
    3  -0.0001193   0.0000617   0.0000993  -0.0085082  -0.0063431  -0.0021525
            7           8           9          10          11          12
    1  -0.0056972   0.0044143   0.0034415  -0.0041008   0.0015899  -0.0028432
    2  -0.0077328        -nan        -nan  -0.0044536        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0036668  -0.1406380  -0.0337944  -0.0008760  -0.0587990  -0.0495681
           13          14          15          16          17          18
    1  -0.0080842  -0.0032865  -0.0019581   0.0069604  -0.0075074  -0.0012012
    2        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan
    3   0.0359858  -0.0134173  -0.0199608  -0.0523338  -0.0186428  -0.0274875
           19          20          21          22          23          24
    1  -0.0065107  -0.0065403  -0.0052866  -0.0035555  -0.0071150  -0.0056851
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0068066        -nan  -0.0092152        -nan
    3   0.0186457  -0.0072376  -0.0069095  -0.0765733  -0.0029347   0.0164785
           25          26          27          28          29          30
    1  -0.0048606   0.0094995  -0.0061316  -0.0008234  -0.0037608  -0.0069174
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0090644        -nan        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0268702  -0.0678457  -0.0066642  -0.0129110   0.0154526  -0.0092059
           31          32          33          34          35          36
    1  -0.0090887  -0.0018270  -0.0054327  -0.0099707  -0.0019100  -0.0017199
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0043296  -0.0098196        -nan  -0.0053404
    3  -0.0210644  -0.0086665  -0.0029656  -0.0075248  -0.0103536  -0.0037674
           37          38          39          40          41          42
    1  -0.0043854  -0.0060423  -0.0001225  -0.0030035  -0.0039724  -0.0055919
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0027819        -nan        -nan  -0.0002157
    3  -0.0099851  -0.0261536  -0.0042131  -0.0121357  -0.0174287  -0.0011226
           43          44          45          46          47          48
    1  -0.0066803  -0.0037862  -0.0067298  -0.0041145  -0.0052207  -0.0000566
    2        -nan  -0.0039288  -0.0065694  -0.0074880        -nan  -0.0003769
    3  -0.0151352  -0.0030120  -0.0110743  -0.0028741  -0.0125515   0.0005604
           49          50          51          52          53          54
    1  -0.0016502   0.0007651   0.0013415   0.0005190   0.0007009  -0.0018800
    2  -0.0036626  -0.0004349  -0.0030223  -0.0032203   0.0004346        -nan
    3  -0.0010695  -0.0021066  -0.0003315  -0.0027903   0.0017140  -0.0135375
           55          56          57          58          59          60
    1  -0.0008777  -0.0030332  -0.0025999  -0.0023418  -0.0028861  -0.0019418
    2        -nan        -nan        -nan  -0.0045842        -nan  -0.0032088
    3  -0.0439860  -0.0116729  -0.0306983  -0.0005217  -0.0172776  -0.0003553
           61          62          63          64          65          66
    1  -0.0016729   0.0016074  -0.0036355  -0.0040183  -0.0015459  -0.0025787
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0051639  -0.0022403        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0141845  -0.0236631  -0.0048334  -0.0036781  -0.0180439  -0.0113595
           67          68          69          70          71          72
    1   0.0027183   0.0018952  -0.0066456  -0.0012428  -0.0019982  -0.0035972
    2  -0.0025889   0.0022589   0.0003991  -0.0024138   0.0003883  -0.0035568
    3  -0.0169930   0.0087161   0.0071474   0.0001731  -0.0027581  -0.0030035
           73
    1  -0.0011759
    2   0.0009703
    3  -0.0032583
 Max gradient component =       1.406E-01
 RMS gradient           =            -NAN
 Computing fast CPCM-SWIG gradient
 Updating gradient with PCM contributions...
 -- total gradient after adding PCM contribution --
---------------------------------------------------
  Atom         X              Y              Z     
---------------------------------------------------
   1      -0.002939      -0.003048      -0.000017
   2      -0.000788      -0.001482       0.000095
   3       0.000603      -0.003772       0.000127
   4       0.003194      -0.000190      -0.008396
   5      -0.004661      -0.009400      -0.006571
   6      -0.003728      -0.001006      -0.002186
   7      -0.004987      -0.005205      -0.003462
   8       0.004855           -nan      -0.141003
   9       0.003567           -nan      -0.035603
  10      -0.005013      -0.004479      -0.001325
  11       0.000854           -nan      -0.057979
  12      -0.002481           -nan      -0.049595
  13      -0.007280           -nan       0.035695
  14      -0.002967           -nan      -0.013976
  15      -0.002059           -nan      -0.020633
  16       0.007666           -nan      -0.053586
  17      -0.007012           -nan      -0.017533
  18      -0.001807           -nan      -0.028358
  19      -0.006415           -nan       0.018582
  20      -0.005898           -nan      -0.007419
  21      -0.005197      -0.006448      -0.007593
  22      -0.003494           -nan      -0.076706
  23      -0.007792      -0.009668      -0.003320
  24      -0.005641           -nan       0.015930
  25      -0.004257           -nan      -0.025982
  26       0.009512           -nan      -0.068301
  27      -0.006583      -0.009254      -0.007305
  28       0.000390           -nan      -0.013364
  29      -0.004401           -nan       0.017080
  30      -0.007417           -nan      -0.009033
  31      -0.008366           -nan      -0.019790
  32      -0.002941           -nan      -0.008558
  33      -0.005501      -0.004289      -0.002805
  34      -0.010116      -0.009907      -0.007403
  35      -0.002185           -nan      -0.010268
  36      -0.001585      -0.005674      -0.003739
  37      -0.004122           -nan      -0.010197
  38      -0.005647           -nan      -0.025050
  39      -0.000140      -0.003403      -0.005200
  40      -0.002997           -nan      -0.010732
  41      -0.005390           -nan      -0.017422
  42      -0.004766      -0.000579      -0.000982
  43      -0.006365           -nan      -0.014753
  44      -0.004939      -0.004403      -0.001419
  45      -0.006842      -0.006565      -0.011026
  46      -0.004265      -0.006602      -0.002645
  47      -0.004942           -nan      -0.012415
  48      -0.000107      -0.000550       0.000508
  49      -0.001267      -0.003303      -0.000776
  50       0.000773       0.000028      -0.002435
  51       0.001240      -0.003038      -0.000546
  52       0.000555      -0.003191      -0.002845
  53       0.000554       0.000363       0.001506
  54      -0.001883           -nan      -0.013518
  55      -0.000968           -nan      -0.044135
  56      -0.003238           -nan      -0.012138
  57      -0.002806           -nan      -0.031028
  58      -0.002340      -0.004616      -0.000564
  59      -0.002926           -nan      -0.017438
  60      -0.002040      -0.003420      -0.000617
  61      -0.001784           -nan      -0.014402
  62       0.001416           -nan      -0.023591
  63      -0.003368      -0.004606      -0.004249
  64      -0.003564      -0.002407      -0.003104
  65      -0.001443           -nan      -0.017945
  66      -0.002574           -nan      -0.011259
  67       0.002904      -0.002833      -0.016801
  68       0.002025       0.002131       0.008275
  69      -0.006623       0.000323       0.006930
  70      -0.001346      -0.002961       0.000383
  71      -0.001728       0.000188      -0.002319
  72      -0.003705      -0.003642      -0.003024
  73      -0.001284       0.001105      -0.003307
---------------------------------------------------
 Number of fixed atoms: 0
 Gradient time:  CPU 507.08 s  wall 24.73 s
WARNING!!!!! energy has increased from optimization step!
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
             Standard Nuclear Orientation (Angstroms)
    I     Atom           X                Y                Z
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
    1      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
    2      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
    3      N                NaN              NaN              NaN
    4      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
    5      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
    6      N                NaN              NaN              NaN
    7      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
    8      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
    9      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   10      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   11      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   12      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   13      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   14      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   15      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   16      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   17      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   18      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   19      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   20      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   21      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   22      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   23      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   24      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   25      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   26      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   27      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   28      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   29      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   30      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   31      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   32      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   33      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   34      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   35      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   36      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   37      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   38      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   39      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   40      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   41      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   42      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   43      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   44      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   45      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   46      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   47      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   48      Au               NaN              NaN              NaN
   49      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   50      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   51      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   52      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   53      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   54      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   55      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   56      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   57      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   58      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   59      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   60      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   61      C                NaN              NaN              NaN
   62      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   63      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   64      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   65      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   66      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   67      I                NaN              NaN              NaN
   68      Cl               NaN              NaN              NaN
   69      Cl               NaN              NaN              NaN
   70      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   71      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   72      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
   73      H                NaN              NaN              NaN
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 Nuclear Repulsion Energy =                  NaN hartrees
 There are      153 alpha and      153 beta electrons
 Discretize the solute cavity surface with Lebedev spheres
	Using 110 Lebedev grid points for each H atom
	Using 194 Lebedev grid points for other atoms
	Atomic van der Waals radii will be scaled by 1.20
 Remove points where switching function is < 1.0e-08
 Keep 11306 surface tesserae and discard 0 interior tesserae
 Molecular Surface Area = -nan Angst**2
 Applying Cartesian multipole field
    Component          Value
    ---------          -----
     (2,0,0)        1.00000E-12
     (0,2,0)        2.00000E-12
     (0,0,2)       -3.00000E-11
 Requested basis set is non-standard
 There are 237 shells and 641 basis functions

Hello Farshad,
In principle SMD does work with FSM, e.g., I just successfully ran the following input file (which is the FSM sample job that ships with Q-Chem, adding SOLVENT_METHOD).

$molecule
0  1
Si   1.0280327557  -0.1315730851  -0.7796894938
H    0.9239215103  -1.3019342992   0.2017249898
H    1.2948748602   0.9006093480   0.3188881806
H   -1.7139896318   0.3008767873  -0.2262311694
H   -1.5328394945   0.2320212490   0.4853074928
****
Si   0.0002281688  -0.0004844484  -0.0000237613
H    0.6447547205  -1.3369588128  -0.0648651161
H    1.0476483170   1.0527178932   0.0629918278
H   -0.8370289418   0.2056482892  -1.2111268487
H   -0.8556022646   0.0790770788   1.2130238983
$end

$rem
jobtype         fsm
fsm_ngrad   3
fsm_nnode   18
fsm_mode     2
fsm_opt_mode 2
method      b3lyp
basis 6-31G*
symmetry false
sym_ignore true
solvent_method pcm  ! works with SMD also
$end

Therefore it is something about your specific job that is the problem. I am currently trying to see if I reproduce the error with the latest version of Q-Chem.

Update: Using the latest Q-Chem trunk (pre-release 6.1), I have successfully run several string cycles of your input file without any "nan"s and without a crash. Does this happen for you the first time that the gradient is computed? (You can search the output for “Gradient of CDS energy” to find out.)

Dear John,
The “nan” error appears after a few string cycles for me as well. I searched for “Gradient of CDS energy” and observed that the calculation was normal until four searches, when “nan” appeared. I am sending the third and fourth “CDS energy gradient” searches:

3rd “CDS energy gradient”:

 Calculating analytic gradient of the SCF energy
 Gradient of CDS energy
            1           2           3           4           5           6
    1  -0.0073975  -0.0044774  -0.0088581  -0.0085845  -0.0069623  -0.0115659
    2  -0.0074460  -0.0046155  -0.0091920  -0.0089771  -0.0085695  -0.0108297
    3  -0.0083095  -0.0054483  -0.0105558  -0.0080758  -0.0094641  -0.0088558
            7           8           9          10          11          12
    1  -0.0056482  -0.0115041  -0.0097476  -0.0094364  -0.0097938  -0.0083771
    2  -0.0080584  -0.0105052  -0.0118750  -0.0104048  -0.0104099  -0.0096724
    3  -0.0088639  -0.0076597  -0.0100295  -0.0107026  -0.0082695  -0.0078569
           13          14          15          16          17          18
    1  -0.0064815  -0.0100071  -0.0087752  -0.0111977  -0.0058646  -0.0093521
    2  -0.0080897  -0.0080919  -0.0093223  -0.0115390  -0.0068885  -0.0099303
    3  -0.0079661  -0.0058083  -0.0093818  -0.0110055  -0.0058683  -0.0089713
           19          20          21          22          23          24
    1  -0.0070085  -0.0080384  -0.0085802  -0.0069119  -0.0051755  -0.0084064
    2  -0.0064998  -0.0089400  -0.0095648  -0.0075155  -0.0067071  -0.0073457
    3  -0.0058938  -0.0096003  -0.0091534  -0.0061150  -0.0056804  -0.0055546
           25          26          27          28          29          30
    1  -0.0087779  -0.0087654  -0.0056891  -0.0079753  -0.0070419  -0.0012954
    2  -0.0089798  -0.0090186  -0.0069653  -0.0080978  -0.0063395  -0.0011962
    3  -0.0084440  -0.0079340  -0.0061775  -0.0075814  -0.0053839  -0.0016437
           31          32          33          34          35          36
    1  -0.0029031  -0.0018125  -0.0028117  -0.0040048  -0.0017161  -0.0043599
    2  -0.0030161  -0.0021625  -0.0028751  -0.0038193  -0.0016771  -0.0044106
    3  -0.0024799  -0.0023438  -0.0027964  -0.0035217  -0.0013573  -0.0047793
           37          38          39          40          41          42
    1  -0.0032693  -0.0014918  -0.0027409  -0.0028950  -0.0025016  -0.0008550
    2  -0.0032820  -0.0018094  -0.0026017  -0.0032192  -0.0029460  -0.0013903
    3  -0.0029987  -0.0020439  -0.0029897  -0.0029972  -0.0033895  -0.0019603
           43          44          45          46          47          48
    1  -0.0034579  -0.0025040  -0.0030109  -0.0039747  -0.0007400  -0.0040689
    2  -0.0032196  -0.0024198  -0.0029386  -0.0038505   0.0014591  -0.0037302
    3  -0.0032050  -0.0020296  -0.0028809  -0.0033374  -0.0025160  -0.0028510
           49          50          51          52          53          54
    1  -0.0052047  -0.0048901  -0.0032698  -0.0051587  -0.0038299  -0.0039918
    2  -0.0050774  -0.0050514  -0.0038010  -0.0060695  -0.0036844  -0.0041950
    3  -0.0053457  -0.0047367  -0.0039244  -0.0064736  -0.0029814  -0.0035949
           55          56          57          58          59          60
    1  -0.0036806  -0.0049606  -0.0076392  -0.0055525  -0.0047578  -0.0045605
    2  -0.0042221  -0.0056853  -0.0065015  -0.0060365  -0.0050904  -0.0047364
    3  -0.0032727  -0.0056533  -0.0077007  -0.0057577  -0.0043059  -0.0039353
           61          62          63          64          65          66
    1  -0.0060773  -0.0027944  -0.0023031  -0.0029317  -0.0038598  -0.0031389
    2  -0.0062989  -0.0024617  -0.0029852  -0.0032994  -0.0036522  -0.0030804
    3  -0.0053443  -0.0017533  -0.0025609  -0.0030464  -0.0032755  -0.0032014
           67          68          69          70          71          72
    1   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
    2   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
    3   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
           73
    1   0.0000000
    2   0.0000000
    3   0.0000000
 Gradient of SCF Energy

4rd “CDS energy gradient”:

 Calculating analytic gradient of the SCF energy
 Gradient of CDS energy
            1           2           3           4           5           6
    1   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000  -0.0012972  -0.0080117
    2   0.0000000  -0.0017250  -0.0063488  -0.0030633  -0.0078027  -0.0064601
    3   0.0000000   0.0004361  -0.0005321  -0.0080859  -0.0069134  -0.0026211
            7           8           9          10          11          12
    1  -0.0037684  -0.0040046  -0.0049730  -0.0060796   0.0000355  -0.0043648
    2  -0.0031668        -nan        -nan  -0.0047665        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0034961  -0.1422462  -0.0391344  -0.0025443  -0.0567026  -0.0516331
           13          14          15          16          17          18
    1  -0.0038357  -0.0058658  -0.0011308  -0.0053868  -0.0053787  -0.0073185
    2        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan        -nan
    3   0.0331620  -0.0094382  -0.0230840  -0.0633912  -0.0145585  -0.0375956
           19          20          21          22          23          24
    1  -0.0048743  -0.0047573  -0.0064740  -0.0032007  -0.0021577  -0.0065375
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0079741        -nan  -0.0053733        -nan
    3   0.0170885  -0.0075881  -0.0087258  -0.0744590  -0.0032592   0.0167416
           25          26          27          28          29          30
    1  -0.0048899  -0.0017702  -0.0062654  -0.0056117  -0.0039392  -0.0010346
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0085227        -nan        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0272649  -0.0755293  -0.0074229  -0.0198966   0.0163374  -0.0092072
           31          32          33          34          35          36
    1  -0.0030118  -0.0012272  -0.0029767  -0.0032797  -0.0014404  -0.0023967
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0030349  -0.0031285        -nan  -0.0022692
    3  -0.0110755  -0.0077355  -0.0029665  -0.0032292  -0.0096750  -0.0024864
           37          38          39          40          41          42
    1  -0.0025710  -0.0019058  -0.0000629  -0.0026064  -0.0029143  -0.0018394
    2        -nan        -nan   0.0005798        -nan        -nan  -0.0002295
    3  -0.0104231  -0.0168897   0.0004106  -0.0107932  -0.0169636  -0.0002616
           43          44          45          46          47          48
    1  -0.0038734  -0.0025050  -0.0033895  -0.0031774  -0.0000981   0.0017603
    2        -nan  -0.0024206  -0.0031815  -0.0027955        -nan  -0.0000333
    3  -0.0120681  -0.0020306  -0.0033267  -0.0024129  -0.0116023   0.0012514
           49          50          51          52          53          54
    1  -0.0006328   0.0000280   0.0000000  -0.0018698  -0.0029972  -0.0031004
    2  -0.0024969  -0.0020490  -0.0021634  -0.0055951  -0.0021167        -nan
    3   0.0000390  -0.0017475  -0.0033383  -0.0047573  -0.0008866  -0.0153162
           55          56          57          58          59          60
    1  -0.0021990  -0.0024049  -0.0044412  -0.0046035  -0.0029889  -0.0023575
    2        -nan        -nan        -nan  -0.0051856        -nan  -0.0028372
    3  -0.0445850  -0.0096719  -0.0356446  -0.0038680  -0.0179009  -0.0018800
           61          62          63          64          65          66
    1  -0.0032019   0.0006562  -0.0017655  -0.0029316  -0.0017987  -0.0017995
    2        -nan        -nan  -0.0021657  -0.0024267        -nan        -nan
    3  -0.0169682  -0.0229438  -0.0016846  -0.0020490  -0.0179409  -0.0095904
           67          68          69          70          71          72
    1   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
    2   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
    3   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000   0.0000000
           73
    1   0.0000000
    2   0.0000000
    3   0.0000000
 Gradient of SCF Energy

Mine ran successfully through 13 string steps before timing out after 3 h, but there are no "nan"s in any of the gradients. Please contact Q-Chem support for further assistance, they can try it with v. 5.3 (to confirm your bug) and then try to see if there’s a workaround.

Thank you so much for your time, John. I will contact Q-Chem support team.