Electron binding energies of organic azides: Green’s function and density functional theory versus Hartree–Fock calculations

Theoretical calculations for the electron binding energies (EBEs) of several organic azides including hydrazoic acid, methyl azide, ethyl azide, 2-chloroethyl azide, 2-azidoethanol, azidoacetone, 2-azidoacetic acid, 3-azido-2-butanone, and 2-azidoethyl acetate are reported. EBEs were calculated with ab initio Green’s function (GF) and density functional theory (DFT). Complete basis-set extrapolated coupled cluster calculations with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] for the first ionization energy of azides are also reported. It is shown that EBEs from GF and DFT calculations are in better agreement with experiment than Hartree–Fock predictions.