AN AB-INITIO QUARTIC FORCE-FIELD AND THE FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCIES OF O-BENZYNE

The ab initio SCF, MCSCF and MP2 molecular energies, gradients and Hessians have been evaluated at 33 points for the ground electronic state of the o-benzyne molecule. The corresponding potential energy surfaces have been fitted to obtain a quartic force field from which the fundamental frequencies have been determined using second-order perturbation theory. Theoretical predictions reproduce the majority of the experimental data to a degree of agreement which allows a complete assignment of all the fundamental frequencies of o-benzyne.