A non-perturbative theory is proposed in this article in which an energy independent effective Hamiltonian is obtained for open-shell systems. We have given a diagrammatic version of theory to facilitate the analysis of the problem. The theory has been applied to a model 4-π electron problem, for calculating the lowestπ-π* singlet and triplet energy levels of transbutadiene. Comparison with full Cl calculation indicates the excellent workability of the theory.

Accidental degeneracy seems to be the rule rather than an exception amongst thed orbital energies of substituted octahedral complexes ofd¹ configuration. By using symmetry and physical arguments, in conjunction with first-order and second-order degenerate perturbation theory, it is shown that such accidental degeneracies arise in crystal-field theory due to the choice of an inflexible basis set of metal orbitals which neglects the polarisation of metal orbitals by the ligand charges.

In this paper it is shown that (i) there exists an alternative definition of the superoperator resolvent for calculation of difference energy satisfying linked cluster theorem for a coupled-cluster choice of the ground-state function which may even be approximate; (ii) the pole-structure of this propagator-like function in superoperator form is shown to contain information similar to that contained in the conventional propagator. (iii) It is demonstrated that suitable “Killer conditions” and completeness of the “operator manifold”—essential for understanding the pole-structure of the propagator—can be established both for an exact and an approximate ground state function in a coupled-cluster form. (iv) It is also demonstrated that difference energies calculated with these propagator-like functions are identical to those obtained from a linear response theory in a coupled-cluster form put forward recently by Mukherjeeet al and Monkhorst.