Benchmark Structures and Binding Energies of Small Water Clusters with Anharmonicity Corrections

ACS Citation

Temelso, B.; Archer, K. A.; Shields, G. C. Benchmark Structures and Binding Energies of Small Water Clusters with Anharmonicity Corrections. J. Phys. Chem. A 2011, 115 (43), 12034-12046.

Abstract

For (H2O)n where n = 1-10, we used a scheme combining molecular dynamics sampling with high level ab initio calculations to locate the global and many low lying local minima for each cluster. For each isomer, we extrapolated the RI-MP2 energies to their complete basis set limit, included a CCSD(T) correction using a smaller basis set and added finite temperature corrections within the rigid-rotor-harmonic-oscillator (RRHO) model using scaled and unscaled harmonic vibrational frequencies. The vibrational scaling factors were determined specifically for water clusters by comparing harmonic frequencies with VPT2 fundamental frequencies. We find the CCSD(T) correction to the RI-MP2 binding energy to be small ({\textless}1{\%}) but still important in determining accurate conformational energies. Anharmonic corrections are found to be non-negligble; they do not alter the energetic ordering of isomers, but they do lower the free energies of formation of the water clusters by as much as 4 kcal/mol at 298.15 K.

Source Name

The Journal of Physical Chemistry A

Publication Date

2011

Volume

115

Issue

43

Page(s)

12034-12046

Document Type

Citation

Citation Type

Article

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