A b i n i t i o calculation of the hyperfine coupling constants in B2

Abstract

Hyperfine coupling constants for the ground electronic state of the B₂ molecule, [³∑⁻_g] , are computed using correlation procedures based on spin‐unrestricted wave functions. Two distinct methods have been employed. Firstly, a variational configuration mixing approach with all configurations arising from single and double replacements in the reference wave function has been augmented by an approximate size‐consistency correction. Secondly, a many‐body perturbation theory procedure based on the coupled–cluster expansion with infinite‐order doubles has been approximately corrected for single and triple excitations through fourth order. Both isotropic and dipolar coupling constants have been obtained as expectation values over the appropriate wave functions for the unrestricted Hartree–Fock (UHF) and the variational configuration‐interaction (CI) methods. The anisotropic coupling is already satisfactorily accounted for at the UHF level, while even with the approximate correction for the effect of higher excitations, the variational CI approach still underestimates the isotropic splitting by a factor of 2. The origin of this deficiency is traced using the other correlation method in which the isotropic coupling is derived from the normalized spin density at the nucleus, obtained by finite‐field perturbation theory. The effect of the inclusion of triple excitations from the UHF wave function is seen to contribute about one third of the observed value. Such excitations are not accounted for in the size‐consistency corrected variational CI approach. This conclusion is confirmed by a similar finding in a full fourth‐order Mo/ller–Plesset (MP) calculation.