W4 thermochemistry of P2 and P4. Is the CODATA heat of formation of the phosphorus atom correct?

The high-accuracy W4 computational thermochemistry protocol, and several post-W4 methods, have been applied to the P2 and P4 molecules. Contrary to previous studies, we find the experimental thermochemistry to be fundamentally sound. The reaction enthalpy for P4→2P2 has a very significant contribution from post-CCSD(T) correlation effects. We derive a gas-phase heat of formation for the phosphorus atom of [image omitted] kcal mol-1 and [image omitted] kcal mol-1, in the upper half of the CODATA uncertainty interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]