Relative energies of the C2H2S2 isomers 1,2-dithiete and dithioglyoxal: Peculiar basis set dependencies of density functional theory and ab initio methods

Abstract

Ab initio calculations at the levels of Hartree–Fock (HF), second order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), coupled-cluster theory with singles, doubles, and estimated triple excitations [CCSD(T)], and density functional theory (DFT) using the functionals B3LYP and B3PW91 of the relative energies of the C2H2S2 isomers 1,2-dithiete (2a), and dithioglyoxal (2b) show a peculiar dependence of the results on the f-type polarization functions. The ab initio calculations with 6-31G(nd) basis sets with n=1–3 incorrectly predict that 2a is higher in energy than 2b. The relative energies at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels change by more than 6 kcal/mol in favor of 2a if the basis set is augmented by one set of f functions. The DFT calculations also give a higher stability of 2a relative to 2b if f functions are included in the basis sets, but the change in the relative energy is only ∼2 kcal/mol. The large change in the relative energies which are calculated at MP2 and CCSD(T) are mainly due to the functions at sulfur, while the effect of the f functions in the DFT calculations is mainly due to the f functions at carbon.