Ab initio calculations of the Ar-ethane intermolecular potential energy surface using bond function basis sets

The intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) of argon with ethane has been studied by ab initio calculations at the levels of second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation (MP2) theory and coupled-cluster theory with single, double, and noniterative triple configurations (CCSD(T)) using a series of augmented correlation-consistent basis sets. Two sets of bond functions, bf1 (3s3p2d) and bf2 (6s6p4d2f), have been added to the basis sets to show a dramatic and systematic improvement in the convergence of the entire PES. The PES of Ar-ethane is characterized by a global minimum at a near T-shaped configuration with a well depth of 0.611 kcal mol(-1), a second minimum at a collinear configuration with a well depth of 0.456 kcal mol(-1), and a saddle point connecting the two minima. It is shown that an augmented correlation-consistent basis set with a set of bond functions, either bf1 or bf2, can effectively produce results equivalent to the next larger augmented correlation-consistent basis set, that is, aug-cc-pVDZ-bf1 ≈ aug-cc-pVTZ, aug-cc-pVTZ-bf1 ≈ aug-cc-pVQZ. Very importantly, the use of bond functions improves the PES globally, resulting accurate potential anisotropy. Finally, MP2 method is inadequate for accurate calculations, because it gives a potentially overestimated well depth and, more seriously, a poor potential anisotropy.