We performed several types of ab initio calculations, from Hartree-Fock to Complete-Active-Space second-order perturbation theory and Coupled Cluster, on compact clusters of stoichiometry XY, where X and Y are atoms belonging to the second row of the periodic table. More precisely, we considered the “cubic” structures of three isoelectronic groups, having a total of 48, 52, and 56-electrons, respectively. Notice that the highly symmetric cubic clusters of type X are characterized by an symmetry group, while the XY structures, with XY, have at most a symmetry. Binding energies and wave function analysis of these clusters have been performed, in order to investigate the nature, and the electron delocalization of these systems and establish a comparison between them. To this purpose, we also computed the Total-Position Spread tensor for each structure, a quantity which is related to the multi-reference nature of a system wave function.

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Methyl-p-benzoquinone (MpBQ, CH3C6H3(═O)2) is a prototypical molecule in the study of quinones, which are compounds of relevance in biology and several redox reactions. Understanding the electron attachment properties of MpBQ and its ability to form anions is crucial in elucidating its role in these reactions. In this study, we investigate electron attachment to MpBQ employing a crossed electron-molecular beam experiment in the electron energy range of approximately 0 to 12 eV, as well as theoretical approaches using quantum chemical and electron scattering calculations. Six anionic species were identified: C7H6O2–, C7H5O2–, C6H5O–, C4HO–, C2H2–, and O–. The parent anion is formed most efficiently, with large cross sections, through two resonances at electron energies between 1 and 2 eV. Potential reaction pathways for all negative ions observed are explored, and the experimental appearance energies are compared with calculated thermochemical thresholds. Although exhibiting similar electron attachment properties to pBQ, MpBQ’s additional methyl group introduces entirely new dissociative reactions, while quenching others, underscoring its distinctive chemical behavior.

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To expand the QUEST database of highly accurate vertical transition energies, we consider a series of large organic chromogens ubiquitous in dye chemistry, such as anthraquinone, azobenzene, BODIPY, and naphthalimide. We compute, at the CC3 level of theory, the singlet and triplet vertical transition energies associated with the low-lying excited states. This leads to a collection of more than 120 new highly accurate excitation energies. For several singlet transitions, we have been able to determine CCSDT transition energies with a compact basis set, finding minimal deviations from the CC3 values for most states. Subsequently, we employ these reference values to benchmark a series of lower-order wave function approaches, including the popular ADC(2) and CC2 schemes, as well as time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT), both with and without applying the Tamm–Dancoff approximation (TDA). At the TD-DFT level, we evaluate a large panel of global, range-separated, local, and double hybrid functionals. Additionally, we assess the performance of the Bethe–Salpeter equation (BSE) formalism relying on both G0W0 and evGW quasiparticle energies evaluated from various starting points. It turns out that CC2 and ADC(2.5) are the most accurate models among those with respective O(N5) and O(N6) scalings with system size. In contrast, CCSD does not outperform CC2. The best performing exchange–correlation functionals include BMK, M06–2X, M06-SX, CAM-B3LYP, ωB97X-D, and LH20t, with average deviations of approximately 0.20 eV or slightly below. Errors on vertical excitation energies can be further reduced by considering double hybrids. Both SOS-ωB88PP86 and SOS-ωPBEPP86 exhibit particularly attractive performances with overall quality on par with CC2, whereas PBE0-DH and PBE-QIDH are only slightly less efficient. BSE/evGW calculations based on Kohn–Sham starting points have been found to be particularly effective for singlet transitions, but much less for their triplet counterparts.

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