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Updated: May 18, 2026

Computation of Atmospheric Concentrations of Molecular Clusters from ab initio Thermochemistry
Published on: April 8, 2020
Relativistic and non-relativistic electronic molecular-structure calculations for dimers of 4p-, 5p-, and 6p-block
Sebastian Höfener1, Reinhart Ahlrichs, Stefan Knecht
1Amsterdam Center of Multiscale Modeling (ACMM), VU University Amsterdam, Theoretical Chemistry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. s.hoefener@vu.nl
Abstract:
We report results of non-relativistic and two-component relativistic single-reference coupled-cluster with single and double and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] treatments for the 4p-block dimers Ga(2) to Br(2) , the 5p-block dimers In(2) to I(2) , and their atoms. Extended basis sets up to pentuple zeta are employed and energies extrapolated to the complete basis-set limit. Relativistic and non-relativistic results for the dissociation energy D(e) are in close agreement with each other and previously published data, provided non-relativistic or scalar-relativistic results are corrected for spin-orbit contributions taken from the literature. An exception is Te(2) where theoretical results scatter by 0.085 eV. By virtue of this agreement it is unexpected that comparison with the experimental D(0) or D(e) dissociation energies (zero-point vibrational effects are negligible in this context) reveal errors larger than 0.1 eV for Ga(2), Ge(2), and Sb(2). Only relativistic treatments are presented for the 6p-block cases Tl(2) to At(2). Sufficient agreement with experimental data is found only for Pb(2) and Bi(2), the deviation of the computed and experimental D(0) values for Po(2) is again larger than 0.1 eV. Deviations of 0.1 eV between the computed and experimental D(0) values are a major reason for concern and call for additional investigations in both fields to clarify the situation.
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