The structure of the Si-free katoite hydrogarnet (116 atoms in the unit cell) has been investigated at the periodic ab initio quantum mechanical level with the CRYSTAL program, by using a Gaussian type basis set and both the HF and the hybrid B3-LYP Hamiltonians. The structure has been fully optimized at various pressures in the 0-46 GPa range; the modifications of the structure, and in particular of the (OH)(4) group, as a function of pressure are analyzed. At the B3-LYP level and P greater than 15 GPa, a O-H...O interaction of increasing strength appears, with important modifications in the local geometry of the tetrahedral site. The calculated omega(01)(O-H) fundamental vibrational frequency at zero pressure is in excellent agreement with experiment (3674 and 3663 cm(-1), respectively); the omega(01)(O-H) stretching frequency remains essentially constant in the 0-15 GPa interval, whereas it dramatically decreases at higher pressures with a corresponding anharmonicity increase, as a consequence of the formation of a strong hydrogen bond. The hydration energy of grossular and the formation energy of Si-free katoite have also been computed, and the B3-LYP results are in quite good agreement with experiment. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.