Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Vol.111, No.26, 5851-5854, 2007
Accurate theoretical determination of the structure of aromatic complexes is complicated: The phenol dimer and Phenol center dot center dot center dot Methanol cases
The structure of the phenol dimer and phenol center dot center dot center dot methanol complexes was determined by gradient optimization using the Hartree-Fock (HF), MP2, DFT, and RI-DFT-D methods with various basis sets. Theoretical rotational constants were compared with experimental values and the following conclusions were made: (1) HF and DFT methods fail to predict cluster geometries; (2) MP2 with a medium basis set yields reliable cluster geometries but only because of a compensation for errors; (3) when the AO basis set is enlarged, the geometry becomes incorrect, and the theoretical geometry becomes reliable only when the higher correlation energy contributions (CCSD(T)) are included; and (4) the RI-DFT-D procedure covering the dispersion energy provides excellent geometries.