  A quantum Monte Carlo study of the atomization energies for the G2 set of
molecules is presented. Basis size dependence of diffusion Monte Carlo
atomization energies is studied with a single determinant Slater-Jastrow trial
wavefunction formed from Hartree-Fock orbitals. With the largest basis set, the
mean absolute deviation from experimental atomization energies for the G2 set
is 3.0 kcal/mol. Optimizing the orbitals within variational Monte Carlo
improves the agreement between diffusion Monte Carlo and experiment, reducing
the mean absolute deviation to 2.1 kcal/mol. Moving beyond a single determinant
Slater-Jastrow trial wavefunction, diffusion Monte Carlo with a small complete
active space Slater-Jastrow trial wavefunction results in near chemical
accuracy. In this case, the mean absolute deviation from experimental
atomization energies is 1.2 kcal/mol. It is shown from calculations on systems
containing phosphorus that the accuracy can be further improved by employing a
larger active space.
