  Correlated {\em ab initio} electronic structure calculations are reported for
the polymers lithium hydride chain $[LiH]_{\infty}$ and beryllium hydride
$[Be_{2}H_{4}]_{\infty}$. First, employing a Wannier-function-based approach,
the systems are studied at the Hartree-Fock level, by considering chains
simulating the infinite polymers. Subsequently, for the model system
$[LiH]_{\infty}$, the correlation effects are computed by considering virtual
excitations from the occupied Hartree-Fock Wannier functions of the infinite
chain into the complementary space of localized unoccupied orbitals, employing
a full-configuration-interaction scheme. For $[Be_{2}H_{4}]_{\infty}$, however,
the electron correlation contributions to its ground state energy are
calculated by considering finite clusters of increasing size modelling the
system. Methods such as M$\o$ller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory and
coupled-cluster singles, doubles and triples level of theory were employed.
Equilibrium geometry, cohesive energy and polymerization energy are presented
for both polymers, and the rapid convergence of electron correlation effects,
when based upon a localized orbital scheme, is demonstrated.
