Electron Density Integrals and Atoms-in-Molecules Methods

1 Electron Density Integrals and Atoms-in-Molecules Methods 

Present-day diffraction facilities provide easy access to very low-temperature data collection and hence to an accurate determination of electron densities in crystals. Application of standard theorems of classical physics then provides an evaluation of the Coulombic interaction energies in crystal lattices [27]. These calculations are parameter-less and hence are as accurate as the electron density is. Moreover, for highly polar compounds, typically aminoacid zwitterions and the like, a fortunate coincidence cancels out all other attractive and repulsive contributions, and the Coulombic term almost coincides with the total interaction energy. 

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