Molpro is a general purpose quantum chemistry software package with a long development history. It was originally focused on accurate wavefunction calculations for small molecules but now has many additional distinctive capabilities that include, inter alia, local correlation approximations combined with explicit correlation, highly efficient implementations of single-reference correlation methods, robust and efficient multireference methods for large molecules, projection embedding, and anharmonic vibrational spectra. In addition to conventional input-file specification of calculations, Molpro calculations can now be specified and analyzed via a new graphical user interface and through a Python framework.

Correlation consistent basis sets have been optimized for use with explicitly correlated F12 methods. The new sets, denoted cc-pVnZ-F12 (n=D,T,Q), are similar in size and construction to the standard aug-cc-pVnZ and aug-cc-pV(n+d)Z basis sets, but the new sets are shown in the present work to yield much improved convergence toward the complete basis set limit in MP2-F12/3C calculations on several small molecules involving elements of both the first and second row. For molecules containing only first row atoms, the smallest cc-pVDZ-F12 basis set consistently recovers nearly 99% of the MP2 valence correlation energy when combined with the MP2-F12/3C method. The convergence with basis set for molecules containing second row atoms is slower, but the new DZ basis set still recovers 97%–99% of the frozen core MP2 correlation energy. The accuracy of the new basis sets for relative energetics is demonstrated in benchmark calculations on a set of 15 chemical reactions.

Scalar-relativistic pseudopotentials and corresponding spin-orbit potentials of the energy-consistent variety have been adjusted for the simulation of the [Ar]3d10 cores of the 4d transition metal elements Y–Pd. These potentials have been determined in a one-step procedure using numerical two-component calculations so as to reproduce atomic valence spectra from four-component all-electron calculations. The latter have been performed at the multi-configuration Dirac-Hartree-Fock level, using the Dirac-Coulomb Hamiltonian and perturbatively including the Breit interaction. The derived pseudopotentials reproduce the all-electron reference data with an average accuracy of 0.03eV for configurational averages over nonrelativistic orbital configurations and 0.1eV for individual relativistic states. Basis sets following a correlation consistent prescription have also been developed to accompany the new pseudopotentials. These range in size from cc-pVDZ-PP to cc-pV5Z-PP and also include sets for 4s4p correlation (cc-pwCVDZ-PP through cc-pwCV5Z-PP), as well as those with extra diffuse functions (aug-cc-pVDZ-PP, etc.). In order to accurately assess the impact of the pseudopotential approximation, all-electron basis sets of triple-zeta quality have also been developed using the Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonian (cc-pVTZ-DK, cc-pwCVTZ-DK, and aug-cc-pVTZ-DK). Benchmark calculations of atomic ionization potentials and 4dm−25s2→4dm−15s1 electronic excitation energies are reported at the coupled cluster level of theory with extrapolations to the complete basis set limit.