Iterative Triples Research Articles

"Best" Iterative Coupled-Cluster Triples Model? More Evidence for 3CC.

To follow up on the unexpectedly good performance of several coupled-cluster models with approximate inclusion of 3-body clusters [Rishi, V.; Valeev, E. F. J. Chem. Phys. 2019, 151, 064102.] we performed a more complete assessment of the 3CC method [Feller, D. . J. Chem. Phys. 2008, 129, 204105.] for accurate computational thermochemistry in the standard HEAT framework. New spin-integrated implementation of the 3CC method applicable to closed- and open-shell systems utilizes a new automated toolchain for derivation, optimization, and evaluation of operator algebra in many-body electronic structure. We found that with a double-ζ basis set the 3CC correlation energies and their atomization energy contributions are almost always more accurate (with respect to the CCSDTQ reference) than the CCSDT model as well as the standard CCSD(T) model. The mean absolute errors in cc-pVDZ {3CC, CCSDT, and CCSD(T)} electronic (per valence electron) and atomization energies relative to the CCSDTQ reference for the HEAT data set [Tajti, A. . J. Chem. Phys. 2004, 121, 11599-11613.], were {24, 70, 122} μEh/e and {0.46, 2.00, 2.58} kJ/mol, respectively. The mean absolute errors in the complete-basis-set limit {3CC, CCSDT, and CCSD(T)} atomization energies relative to the HEAT model reference, were {0.52, 2.00, and 1.07} kJ/mol, The significant and systematic reduction of the error by the 3CC method and its lower cost than CCSDT suggests it as a viable candidate for post-CCSD(T) thermochemistry applications, as well as the preferred alternative to CCSDT in general.

Two-Photon Absorption Strengths of Small Molecules: Reference CC3 Values and Benchmarks.

We present a large dataset of highly accurate two-photon transition strengths (δTPA) determined for standard small molecules. Our reference values have been calculated using the quadratic response implementation of the third-order coupled cluster method including iterative triples (Q-CC3). The aug-cc-pVTZ atomic basis set is used for molecules with up to five non-hydrogen atoms, while larger molecules are assessed with aug-cc-pVDZ; the differences due to the basis sets are discussed. This dataset, encompassing 82 singlet transitions of various characters (Rydberg, valence, and double excitations), enables a comprehensive benchmark of smaller basis sets and alternative wavefunction methods when Q-CC3 calculations become beyond reach as well as time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) approaches. The evaluated wavefunction methods include quadratic response and equation-of-motion CCSD approximations, Q-CC2, and second-order algebraic diagrammatic construction in its intermediate state representation (I-ADC2). In the TD-DFT framework, a set of five commonly used exchange-correlation functionals are evaluted. This extensive analysis provides a quantitative assessment of these methods, revealing how different system sizes, response intensities, and types of transitions affect their performances.

A mountaineering strategy to excited states: Accurate vertical transition energies and benchmarks for substituted benzenes.

In an effort to expand the existing QUEST database of accurate vertical transition energies [Véril et al.WIREs Comput.Mol.Sci. 2021, 11, e1517], we have modeled more than 100 electronic excited states of different natures (local, charge-transfer, Rydberg, singlet, and triplet) in a dozen of mono- and di-substituted benzenes, including aniline, benzonitrile, chlorobenzene, fluorobenzene, nitrobenzene, among others. To establish theoretical best estimates for these vertical excitation energies, we have employed advanced coupled-cluster methods including iterative triples (CC3 and CCSDT) and, when technically possible, iterative quadruples (CC4). These high-level computational approaches provide a robust foundation for benchmarking a series of popular wave function methods. The evaluated methods all include contributions from double excitations (ADC(2), CC2, CCSD, CIS(D), EOM-MP2, STEOM-CCSD), along with schemes that also incorporate perturbative or iterative triples (ADC(3), CCSDR(3), CCSD(T)(a) , and CCSDT-3). This systematic exploration not only broadens the scope of the QUEST database but also facilitates a rigorous assessment of different theoretical approaches in the framework of a homologous chemical series, offering valuable insights into the accuracy and reliability of these methods in such cases. We found that both ADC(2.5) and CCSDT-3 can provide very consistent estimates, whereas among less expensive methods SCS-CC2 is likely the most effective approach. Importantly, we show that some lower order methods may offer reasonable trends in the homologous series while providing quite large average errors, and vice versa. Consequently, benchmarking the accuracy of a model based solely on absolute transition energies may not be meaningful for applications involving a series of similar compounds.

Ionization energies of metallocenes: a coupled cluster study of cobaltocene.

Open-shell transition metal chemistry presents challenges to contemporary electronic structure methods, based on either density functional or wavefunction theory. While CCSD(T) is the well-trusted gold standard for maingroup thermochemistry, the accuracy and robustness of the method is less clear for open-shell transition metal chemistry, requiring benchmarking of CCSD(T)-based protocols against either higher-level theory or experiment. Ionization energies (IEs) of metallocenes provide an interesting test case with metallocenes being common redox reagents as well as playing roles as redox mediators and cocatalysts in redox catalysis. Using highly accurate ZEKE-MATI experimental measurements of gas phase adiabatic (5.3275 ± 0.0006 eV) and vertical (5.4424 ± 0.0006 eV) ionization energies of cobaltocene, we systematically assessed the accuracy of the local coupled-cluster method DLPNO-CCSD(T) with respect to geometry, reference determinant, basis set size and extrapolation schemes, PNO cut-off and extrapolation, local triples approximation, relativistic effects and core-valence correlation. We show that PNO errors are controllable via the recently introduced PNO extrapolation schemes and that the expensive iterative triples (T1) contribution can be made more manageable by calculating it as a smaller-basis/smaller PNO-cutoff correction. The reference determinant turns out to be a critical aspect in these calculations with the HF determinant resulting in large DLPNO-CCSD(T) errors, likely due to the qualitatively flawed molecular orbital spectrum. The BP86 functional on the other hand was found to provide reference orbitals giving small DLPNO-CCSD(T) errors, likely due to more realistic orbitals as suggested by the more consistent MO spectrum compared to HF. A protocol including complete basis set extrapolations with correlation-consistent basis sets, complete PNO space extrapolations, iterative triples- and core-valence correlation corrections was found to give errors of -0.07 eV and -0.03 eV for adiabatic- and vertical-IE of cobaltocene, respectively, giving close to chemical accuracy for both properties. A computationally efficient DLPNO-CCSD(T) protocol was devised and tested against adiabatic ionization energies of 6 different metallocenes (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni). For the other metallocenes, the iterative triples (T1) and PNO extrapolation contributions turn out to be even more important. The results give errors close to the experimental uncertainty, similar to recent auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo results. The quality of the reference determinant orbitals is identified as the main source of uncertainty in CCSD(T) calculations of metallocenes.

A Cost Effective Scheme for the Highly Accurate Description of Intermolecular Binding in Large Complexes.

There has been a growing interest in quantitative predictions of the intermolecular binding energy of large complexes. One of the most important quantum chemical techniques capable of such predictions is the domain-based local pair natural orbital (DLPNO) scheme for the coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and iterative triples [CCSD(T)], whose results are extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit. Here, the DLPNO-based focal-point method is devised with the aim of obtaining CBS-extrapolated values that are very close to their canonical CCSD(T)/CBS counterparts, and thus may serve for routinely checking a performance of less expensive computational methods, for example, those based on the density-functional theory (DFT). The efficacy of this method is demonstrated for several sets of noncovalent complexes with varying amounts of the electrostatics, induction, and dispersion contributions to binding (as revealed by accurate DFT-based symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) calculations). It is shown that when applied to dimeric models of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) chains in its two polymorphic forms, the DLPNO-CCSD(T) and DFT-SAPT computational schemes agree to within about 2 kJ/mol of an absolute value of the interaction energy. These computational schemes thus should be useful for a reliable description of factors leading to the enthalpic stabilization of extended systems.

A computational inspection of the dissociation energy of mid-sized organic dimers.

The gas-phase value of the dissociation energy (D0) is a key parameter employed in both experimental and theoretical descriptions of noncovalent complexes. The D0 data were obtained for a set of mid-sized organic dimers in their global minima which was located using geometry optimizations that applied ample basis sets together with either the conventional second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) method or several dispersion-corrected density-functional theory (DFT-D) schemes. The harmonic vibrational zero-point (VZP) and deformation energies from the MP2 calculations were combined with electronic energies from the coupled cluster theory with singles, doubles, and iterative triples [CCSD(T)] extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit to estimate D0 with the aim of inspecting values that were most recently measured, and an analogous comparison was performed using the DFT-D data. In at least one case (namely, for the aniline⋯methane cluster), the D0 estimate that employed the CCSD(T)/CBS energies differed from experiment in the way that could not be explained by a possible deficiency in the VZP contribution. Curiously, one of the DFT-D schemes (namely, the B3LYP-D3/def2-QZVPPD) was able to reproduce all measured D0 values to within 1.0 kJ/mol from experimental error bars. These findings show the need for further measurements and computations of some of the complexes. In order to facilitate such studies, the physical nature of intermolecular interactions in the investigated dimers was analyzed by means of the DFT-based symmetry-adapted perturbation theory.

Cumulants as the variables of density cumulant theory: A path to Hermitian triples.

We study the combination of orbital-optimized density cumulant theory and a new parameterization of reduced density matrices in which the variables are the particle-hole cumulant elements. We call this combination OλDCT. We find that this new Ansatz solves problems identified in the previous unitary coupled cluster Ansatz for density cumulant theory: the theory is now free of near-zero denominators between occupied and virtual blocks, can correctly describe the dissociation of H2, and is rigorously size-extensive. In addition, the new Ansatz has fewer terms than the previous unitary Ansatz, and the optimal orbitals delivered by the exact theory are the natural orbitals. Numerical studies on systems amenable to full configuration interaction show that the amplitudes from the previous ODC-12 method approximate the exact amplitudes predicted by this Ansatz. Studies on equilibrium properties of diatomic molecules show that even with the new Ansatz, it is necessary to include triples to improve the accuracy of the method compared to orbital-optimized linearized coupled cluster doubles. With a simple iterative triples correction, OλDCT outperforms other orbital-optimized methods truncated at comparable levels in the amplitudes, as well as coupled cluster single and doubles with perturbative triples [CCSD(T)]. By adding four more terms to the cumulant parameterization, OλDCT outperforms CCSDT while having the same O(V5O3) scaling.

A Mountaineering Strategy to Excited States: Highly Accurate Energies and Benchmarks for Bicyclic Systems.

Pursuing our efforts to define highly accurate estimates of the relative energies of excited states in organic molecules, we investigate, with coupled-cluster methods including iterative triples (CC3 and CCSDT), the vertical excitation energies of 10 bicyclic molecules (azulene, benzoxadiazole, benzothiadiazole, diketopyrrolopyrrole, furofuran, phthalazine, pyrrolopyrrole, quinoxaline, tetrathiafulvalene, and thienothiophene). In total, we provide aug-cc-pVTZ reference vertical excitation energies for 91 excited states of these relatively large systems. We use these reference values to benchmark various wave function methods, i.e., CIS(D), EOM-MP2, CC2, CCSD, STEOM-CCSD, CCSD(T)(a)*, CCSDR(3), CCSDT-3, ADC(2), ADC(2.5), and ADC(3), as well as some spin-scaled variants of both CC2 and ADC(2). These results are compared to those obtained previously on smaller molecules. It turns out that while the accuracy of some methods is almost unaffected by system size, e.g., CIS(D) and CC3, the performance of others can significantly deteriorate as the systems grow, e.g., EOM-MP2 and CCSD, whereas others, e.g., ADC(2) and CC2, become more accurate for larger derivatives.

DFT Functionals for Modeling of Polyethylene Chains Cross-Linked by Metal Atoms. DLPNO-CCSD(T) Benchmark Calculations.

Density functional theory (DFT) functionals for calculations of binding energies (BEs) of the polyethylene (PE) chains cross-linked by selected metal atoms (M) are benchmarked against DLPNO-CCSD(T) and DLPNO-CCSD(T1) data. PEX-M-PEX complexes as compared with plain parallel PEX···PEX chains with X = 3-9 carbon atoms are model species characterized by a cooperative effect of covalent C-M-C bonds and interchain dispersion interactions. The accuracy of DLPNO-CC methods was assessed by a comparison of BEs with the canonical CCSD(T) results for small PE3-M-PE3 complexes. Functionals for PEX···PEX and closed-shell PEX-M-PEX complexes (M = Be, Mg, Zn) were benchmarked against DLPNO-CCSD(T) BEs; open-shell complexes (M = Li, Ag, Au) were benchmarked against the DLPNO-CCSD(T1) method with iterative triples. Three dispersion corrections were combined with 25 DFT functionals for calculations of BEs with respect to PEX-M and PEX fragments employing def2-TZVPP and def2-QZVPP basis sets. Accuracy to within 5% for the closed-shell PEX-M-PEX complexes was achieved with five functionals. Less accurate are functionals for the open-shell PEX-M-PEX complexes; only two functionals deviate by less than 15% from DLPNO-CCSD(T1). Particularly problematic were PEX-Li-PEX complexes. A reasonable overall performance across all complexes in terms of the mean absolute percentage error is found for the range-separated hybrid functionals ωB97X-D3 and CAM-B3LYP/D3(BJ)-ABC.

Detailed Pair Natural Orbital-Based Coupled Cluster Studies of Spin Crossover Energetics.

In this work, a detailed study of spin-state splittings in three spin crossover model compounds with DLPNO-CCSD(T) is presented. The performance in comparison to canonical CCSD(T) is assessed in detail. It was found that spin-state splittings with chemical accuracy, compared to the canonical results, are achieved when the full iterative triples (T1) scheme and TightPNO settings are applied and relativistic effects are taken into account. Having established the level of accuracy that can be reached relative to the canonical results, we have undertaken a detailed basis set study in the second part of the study. The slow convergence of the results of correlated calculations with respect to basis set extension is particularly acute for spin-state splittings for reasons discussed in detail in this Article. In fact, for some of the studied systems, 5Z basis sets are necessary in order to come close to the basis set limit that is estimated here by basis set extrapolation. Finally, the results of the present work are compared to available literature. In general, acceptable agreement with previous CCSD(T) results is found, although notable deviations stemming from differences in methodology and basis sets are noted. It is noted that the published CASPT2 numbers are far away from the extrapolated CCSD(T) numbers. In addition, dynamic quantum Monte Carlo results differ by several tens of kcal/mol from the CCSD(T) numbers. A comparison to DFT results produced with a range of popular density functionals shows the expected scattering of results and showcases the difficulty of applying DFT to spin-state energies.

Reference Energies for Double Excitations

Excited states exhibiting double-excitation character are notoriously difficult to model using conventional single-reference methods, such as adiabatic time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) or equation-of-motion coupled cluster (EOM-CC). In addition, these states are typical experimentally "dark", making their detection in photoabsorption spectra very challenging. Nonetheless, they play a key role in the faithful description of many physical, chemical, and biological processes. In the present work, we provide accurate reference excitation energies for transitions involving a substantial amount of double excitation using a series of increasingly large diffuse-containing atomic basis sets. Our set gathers 20 vertical transitions from 14 small- and medium-size molecules (acrolein, benzene, beryllium atom, butadiene, carbon dimer and trimer, ethylene, formaldehyde, glyoxal, hexatriene, nitrosomethane, nitroxyl, pyrazine, and tetrazine). Depending on the size of the molecule, selected configuration interaction (sCI) and/or multiconfigurational (CASSCF, CASPT2, (X)MS-CASPT2, and NEVPT2) calculations are performed in order to obtain reliable estimates of the vertical transition energies. In addition, coupled cluster approaches including at least contributions from iterative triples (such as CC3, CCSDT, CCSDTQ, and CCSDTQP) are assessed. Our results clearly evidence that the error in CC methods is intimately related to the amount of double-excitation character of the transition. For "pure" double excitations (i.e., for transitions which do not mix with single excitations), the error in CC3 can easily reach 1 eV, while it goes down to a few tenths of an electronvolt for more common transitions (such as in trans-butadiene) involving a significant amount of singles. As expected, CC approaches including quadruples yield highly accurate results for any type of transition. The quality of the excitation energies obtained with multiconfigurational methods is harder to predict. We have found that the overall accuracy of these methods is highly dependent on both the system and the selected active space. The inclusion of the σ and σ* orbitals in the active space, even for transitions involving mostly π and π* orbitals, is mandatory in order to reach high accuracy. A theoretical best estimate (TBE) is reported for each transition. We believe that these reference data will be valuable for future methodological developments aiming at accurately describing double excitations.

A Mountaineering Strategy to Excited States: Highly Accurate Reference Energies and Benchmarks.

Striving to define very accurate vertical transition energies, we perform both high-level coupled cluster (CC) calculations (up to CCSDTQP) and selected configuration interaction (sCI) calculations (up to several millions of determinants) for 18 small compounds (water, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, hydrogen chloride, dinitrogen, carbon monoxide, acetylene, ethylene, formaldehyde, methanimine, thioformaldehyde, acetaldehyde, cyclopropene, diazomethane, formamide, ketene, nitrosomethane, and the smallest streptocyanine). By systematically increasing the order of the CC expansion, the number of determinants in the CI expansion as well as the size of the one-electron basis set, we have been able to reach near full CI (FCI) quality transition energies. These calculations are carried out on CC3/ aug-cc-pVTZ geometries, using a series of increasingly large atomic basis sets systematically including diffuse functions. In this way, we define a list of 110 transition energies for states of various characters (valence, Rydberg, n → π*, π → π*, singlet, triplet, etc.) to be used as references for further calculations. Benchmark transition energies are provided at the aug-cc-pVTZ level as well as with additional basis set corrections, in order to obtain results close to the complete basis set limit. These reference data are used to benchmark a series of 12 excited-state wave function methods accounting for double and triple contributions, namely ADC(2), ADC(3), CIS(D), CIS(D∞), CC2, STEOM-CCSD, CCSD, CCSDR(3), CCSDT-3, CC3, CCSDT., and CCSDTQ. It turns out that CCSDTQ yields a negligible difference with the extrapolated CI values with a mean absolute error as small as 0.01 eV, whereas the coupled cluster approaches including iterative triples are also very accurate (mean absolute error of 0.03 eV). Consequently, CCSDT-3 and CC3 can be used to define reliable benchmarks. This observation does not hold for ADC(3) that delivers quite large errors for this set of small compounds, with a clear tendency to overcorrect its second-order version, ADC(2). Finally, we discuss the possibility to use basis set extrapolation approaches so as to tackle more easily larger compounds.

Accuracy of Coupled Cluster Excitation Energies in Diffuse Basis Sets.

We present a comprehensive statistical analysis on the accuracy of various excited state Coupled Cluster methods, accentuating the effect of diffuse basis sets on vertical excitation energies of valence and Rydberg-type states. Many popular approximate doubles and triples methods are benchmarked with basis sets up to aug-cc-pVTZ, with high level EOM-CCSDT results used as reference. The results reveal a serious deficiency of CC2 linear response and CIS(D) techniques in the description of Rydberg states, a feature not shown by the EOM-CCSD(2) and EOM-CCSD variants. The CC3 theory proves to be an accurate choice among the iterative approximate triples methods, while the novel perturbation-based CCSD(T)(a)* variant turns out to be the best way to include the effect of triple excitations in a noniterative way.

Bond energies of ThO+ and ThC+: A guided ion beam and quantum chemical investigation of the reactions of thorium cation with O2 and CO

Kinetic energy dependent reactions of Th(+) with O2 and CO are studied using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer. The formation of ThO(+) in the reaction of Th(+) with O2 is observed to be exothermic and barrierless with a reaction efficiency at low energies of k/kLGS = 1.21 ± 0.24 similar to the efficiency observed in ion cyclotron resonance experiments. Formation of ThO(+) and ThC(+) in the reaction of Th(+) with CO is endothermic in both cases. The kinetic energy dependent cross sections for formation of these product ions were evaluated to determine 0 K bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of D0(Th(+)-O) = 8.57 ± 0.14 eV and D0(Th(+)-C) = 4.82 ± 0.29 eV. The present value of D0 (Th(+)-O) is within experimental uncertainty of previously reported experimental values, whereas this is the first report of D0 (Th(+)-C). Both BDEs are observed to be larger than those of their transition metal congeners, TiL(+), ZrL(+), and HfL(+) (L = O and C), believed to be a result of lanthanide contraction. Additionally, the reactions were explored by quantum chemical calculations, including a full Feller-Peterson-Dixon composite approach with correlation contributions up to coupled-cluster singles and doubles with iterative triples and quadruples (CCSDTQ) for ThC, ThC(+), ThO, and ThO(+), as well as more approximate CCSD with perturbative (triples) [CCSD(T)] calculations where a semi-empirical model was used to estimate spin-orbit energy contributions. Finally, the ThO(+) BDE is compared to other actinide (An) oxide cation BDEs and a simple model utilizing An(+) promotion energies to the reactive state is used to estimate AnO(+) and AnC(+) BDEs. For AnO(+), this model yields predictions that are typically within experimental uncertainty and performs better than density functional theory calculations presented previously.

Profiling the binding motif between Be and Mg in the ground state via a single-reference coupled cluster method

We present a study on the performance of our iterative triples correction for the coupled cluster singles and doubles excitations (CCSDT-1a+d) method for computation of potential energy surface (PES), spectroscopic constants, and vibrational spectrum for the ground state (X1Σ+) BeMg, where the ostensible inadequacy of the CCSD and CCSD(T) methods is quite expected. We compare our results with those obtained using state-of-the-art multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) investigations reported earlier by Kerkines and Nicolaides. Our estimated dissociation energy (417.37 cm−1), equilibrium distance (3.285 Å), and vibrational frequency (82.32 cm−1) are in good agreement with recent results of advanced MRCI calculations for X1Σ+ BeMg PES, which exhibits a shallow well of 469.4 cm−1 with a minimum at 3.241 Å and a harmonic vibrational frequency of 85.7 cm−1. Very weakly bound nature of X1Σ+ BeMg is clearly reflected from these values. In accord with MRCI studies, a comparison of BeMg with iso-valence weakly bound ground-state species, Be2 and Mg2, suggests that its characteristics do not exhibit any resemblance to Be2 rather, it shows a close kinship to Mg2. The agreement of our derived vibrational levels with those obtained via the high-level MRCI calculations is very encouraging reflecting the potential of the suitably modified single-reference coupled cluster (SRCC) method, CCSDT-1a+d as a tool for the study of multireference van der Waals systems.

Diagnosis of the performance of the state-specific multireference coupled-cluster method with different truncation schemes

We have tested the linked version of a iterative (partial) triples correction for the Jeziorski-Monkhorst ansatz based state-specific multireference coupled cluster (SS-MRCC) approach with singles and doubles (SD) excitations [abbreviated as SS-MRCCSDT-1a and SS-MRCCSDT-1a+d]. The assessments of SS-MRCCSDT-1a and SS-MRCCSDT-1a+d schemes have been performed on the ground potential energy surface (PES) of P4, Li(2),Be(2) systems which demand the MR description, and on study of the excitation energy between the ground and first excited state for P4 system. Illustrations in the isomerization of cyclobutadiene also show the power of the schemes. One of the designed features of the SS-MRCCSDT-n methods introduced here is that they do not require storage of the triples amplitudes. In the entire range of geometries, we found a definite improvement provided by SS-MRCC with SDT-1a and SDT-1a+d schemes over the standard SD one. In the nondegenerate regions of PES, the closeness of the performance of the single-reference CC to the SS-MRCC methods increases after inclusion of even partial triple excitations. Generally, the performance of the SS-MRCCSDT-1a+d approach is closer to the corresponding full configuration interaction (FCI) one than to the SS-MRCCSDT-1a specially in the degenerate geometries (as is evident from nonparallelism error). The deviation from FCI for the first excited state of the P4 model using various SS-MRCC theories with different truncation schemes obtained by converging on the second root of the effective Hamiltonian has also been reported. We also compare our results with the current generation state-of-the-art single and multireference CC calculations to envisage the usefulness of the present approach. Initial implementation indicates that the SS-MRCCSDT-n formalism can provide not only reliable excitation energies and barrier height even when used in a relatively small model space, but also offers a considerable promise in generating the entire energy surface with low nonparallelity error.

Single reference coupled cluster calculations for weakly bound alkaline-earth metal dimers in the ground state: a useful perturbative scheme for an iterative triples correction

We apply here a new iterative triples correction for the single reference coupled-cluster method with singles and doubles scheme (termed as CCSDT-1a+d). All diagonal terms in have been included in the T 3 determining equation, in addition to . This minor change in the CCSDT-1a approximation (includes the primary effects of connected triples excitations iteratively) shows a dramatic change in the study of correlation of weakly bonded systems as discussed here. To achieve a general assessment of the potentiality of the CCSDT-1a + d calculations, the ground state potential energy surfaces (PESs) of alkaline-earth dimers, including Mg2, Ca2 and the challenging Be2 are considered. The systems considered here are treated as four-electron systems, keeping other electrons frozen in the correlation calculations. Generation of PESs for these dimers is very sensitive to the level of theory employed for the electron correlation. Basic spectroscopic constants including dissociation energy extracted from the calculated ground state PES are also reported. For all systems under study, the overall performance of CCSDT-1a+d is very competitive with that of the CCSD(T)/CCSDT method, and better than that of CCSDT-1a indicating that the former approach is more effective in handling dynamic correlation effects in comparison to the latter one in the presence of quasi-degeneracy to different extents. To calibrate our results we also report frozen-core FCI calculations.

Cost reduction of high-order coupled-cluster methods via active-space and orbital transformation techniques

We discuss several techniques which have the potential to decrease the computational expenses of high-order coupled-cluster (CC) methods with a reasonable loss in accuracy. In particular, the CC singles, doubles, and triples (CCSDT) as well as the CC singles, doubles, triples, and perturbative quadruples [CCSDT(Q)] methods are considered, which are frequently used in high-precision model chemistries for the calculation of iterative triples and quadruples corrections. First, we study the possibilities for using active spaces to decrease the computational costs. In this case, an active space is defined and some indices of cluster amplitudes are restricted to be in the space. Second, the application of transformed virtual orbitals is investigated. In this framework, to reduce the computation time the dimension of the properly transformed virtual one-particle space is truncated. We have found that the orbital transformation techniques outperform the active-space approaches. Using the transformation techniques, the computational time can be reduced in average by an order of magnitude without significant loss in accuracy. It is demonstrated that high-order CC calculations are possible for considerably larger systems than before using the implemented techniques.

Benchmarks for Electronically Excited States: A Comparison of Noniterative and Iterative Triples Corrections in Linear Response Coupled Cluster Methods: CCSDR(3) versus CC3.

CCSDR(3) calculations of vertical excitation energies are reported for a set of 24 molecules and 121 excited valence singlet states from a recently published benchmark of organic molecules. The same geometries (MP2/6-31G*) and basis set (TZVP) were employed as in our previous linear response CC2, CCSD, and CC3 calculations. The CCSDR(3) results are compared against the CCSD and CC3 results. Statistical evaluation of all CCSDR(3) excitation energies gives mean absolute deviations of 0.09 eV from CC3 and 0.30 eV from CCSD. For excited states, which are dominated by single excitations, the absolute mean deviation from CC3 is reduced to 0.02 eV and the maximum deviation is 0.09 eV. CCSDR(3) is thus a very cost-effective accurate alternative to CC3.

Triple excitations in state-specific multireference coupled cluster theory: Application of Mk-MRCCSDT and Mk-MRCCSDT-n methods to model systems

We report the first implementation with correct scaling of the Mukherjee multireference coupled cluster method with singles, doubles, and approximate iterative triples (Mk-MRCCSDT-n, n=1a,1b,2,3) as well as full triples (Mk-MRCCSDT). These methods were applied to the classic H4, P4, BeH(2), and H8 model systems to assess the ability of the Mk-MRCCSDT-n schemes to accurately account for triple excitations. In all model systems the inclusion of triples via the various Mk-MRCCSDT-n approaches greatly reduces the nonparallelism error (NPE) and the mean nonparallelism derivative diagnostics for the potential energy curves, recovering between 59% and 73% of the full triples effect on average. The most complete triples approximation, Mk-MRCCSDT-3, exhibits the best average performance, reducing the mean NPE to below 0.6 mE(h), compared to 1.4 mE(h) for Mk-MRCCSD. Both linear and quadratic truncations of the Mk-MRCC triples coupling terms are viable simplifications producing no significant errors. If the off-diagonal parts of the occupied-occupied and virtual-virtual blocks of the Fock matrices are ignored, the storage of the triples amplitudes is no longer required for the Mk-MRCCSDT-n methods introduced here. This proves to be an effective approximation that gives results almost indistinguishable from those derived from full consideration of the Fock matrices.