Basis Sets for Post-Third-Row Atoms

Some large basis sets specify different sets of polarization functions for heavy atoms depending upon the row of the periodic table in which they are located. For example, the 6-311+(3df,2df,p) basis set places 3 d functions and 1 f function on heavy atoms in the second and higher rows of the periodic table, and it places 2 d functions and 1 f function on first row heavy atoms and 1 p function on hydrogen atoms. Note that quantum chemists ignore H and Ffe when numbering the rows of the periodic table. 

The optimized bond length in PO will serve to illustrate the effect of larger basis sets. Here are the predicted values for several medium and large basis sets (all optimizations were run at the B3LYP level of theory)  

The experimental bond length is 1.476. Both the triple zeta basis set and multiple polarization functions are needed to produce a very accurate structure for this molecule. 

Basis sets for atoms beyond the third row of the periodic table are handled somewhat differently. For these very large nuclei, electrons near the nucleus are treated in an approximate way, via effective core potentials (ECPs). This treatment includes some relativistic effects, which are important in these atoms. The LANL2DZ basis set is the best known of these. 

Exploring Chemistry with Electronic Structure Methods 

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Optimize these three molecules at the Hartree-Fock level, using the LANL2DZ basis set, LANL2DZ is a double-zeta basis set containing effective core potential (ECP) representations of electrons near the nuclei for post-third row atoms. Compare the Cr(CO)5 results with those we obtained in Chapter 3. Then compare the structures of the three systems to one another, and characterize the effect of changing the central atom on the overall molecular structure. 

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