Nonrelativistic energy of the Li ground state

Configuration-interaction calculations with energy-optimized basis sets and an empirical estimate of all sources of truncation-energy errors are used to evaluate the nonrelativistic electronic energy of the Li ground state. Our result Eₙᵣ=-7.478 062 4(7) a.u. (Li) is 3 {μ}hartree below an upper bound recently obtained by King using Hylleraas-type calculations, and 11 {μ}hartree above an old estimate based on experimental data supplemented by relativistic, radiative, and mass-polarization corrections, thus suggesting a reassessment of several related issues.