Irreducible representations,

Suppose that T(A) T(B). .. forms an /-dimensional matrix representation of G and define 

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Having done this we solve the Scln-ddinger equation for the molecule by diagonalizing the Hamiltonian matrix in a complete set of known basis fiinctions. We choose the basis functions so that they transfonn according to the irreducible representations of the synnnetry group. 

The Hamiltonian matrix will be block diagonal in this basis set. There will be one block for each irreducible representation of the synnnetry group. 

As a result the eigenstates of // can be labelled by the irreducible representations of the synnnetry group and these irreducible representations can be used as good quantum numbers for understanding interactions and transitions. 

We have described here one particular type of molecular synnnetry, rotational symmetry. On one hand, this example is complicated because the appropriate symmetry group, K (spatial), has infinitely many elements. On the other hand, it is simple because each irreducible representation of K (spatial) corresponds to a particular value of the quantum number F which is associated with a physically observable quantity, the angular momentum. Below we describe other types of molecular synnnetry, some of which give rise to finite synnnetry groups. 

The characters of the irreducible representations of a synnnetry group are collected together into a character table and the character table of the group 3 is given in table A1.4.3. The construction of character tables for finite groups is treated in section 4.4 of [2] and section 3-4 of [3]. 

In applications of group theory we often obtain a reducible representation, and we then need to reduce it to its irreducible components. The way that a given representation of a group is reduced to its irreducible components depends only on the characters of the matrices in the representation and on the characters of the matrices in the irreducible representations of the group. Suppose that the reducible representation is F and that the group involved... 

The irreducible representations of a symmetry group of a molecule are used to label its energy levels. The way we label the energy levels follows from an examination of the effect of a synnnetry operation on the molecular Sclnodinger equation. 

The energy level of an an /-fold degenerate eigenstate can be labelled according to an /-fold degenerate irreducible representation of the synmietry group, as we now show. 

The rotation-vibration-electronic energy levels of the PH3 molecule (neglecting nuclear spin) can be labelled with the irreducible representation labels of the group The character table of this group is given in table Al.4.10. 

Whenever a fiinction can be written as a product of two or more fiinctions, each of which belongs to one of the synnnetry classes, the symmetry of the product fiinction is the direct product of the syimnetries of its constituents. This direct product is obtained in non-degenerate cases by taking the product of the characters for each symmetry operation. For example, the fiinction xy will have a symmetry given by the direct product of the syimnetries of v and ofy this direct product is obtained by taking the product of the characters for each synnnetry operation. In this example it may be seen that, for each operation, the product of the characters for Bj and B2 irreducible representations gives the character of the representation, so xy transfonns as A2. 

When Cj symmetry is present, double group (see Table II) so that = 0 by symmetry. In this case, there are only... 

It is recommended that the reader become familiar with the point-group symmetry tools developed in Appendix E before proceeding with this section. In particular, it is important to know how to label atomic orbitals as well as the various hybrids that can be formed from them according to the irreducible representations of the molecule s point group and how to construct symmetry adapted combinations of atomic, hybrid, and molecular orbitals using projection operator methods. If additional material on group theory is needed. Cotton s book on this subject is very good and provides many excellent chemical applications. 

Projectors may be used to find the SALC-AOs for these irreducible representations (but they are exactly analogous to the previous few problems) ... 

The leftover P pz orbital generate the following irreducible representation D3h E 2C3 3C2 Gh 2S3 3Gv... 

More generally, it is possible to combine sets of Cartesian displacement coordinates qk into so-called symmetry adapted coordinates Qrj, where the index F labels the irreducible representation and j labels the particular combination of that symmetry. These symmetry adapted coordinates can be formed by applying the point group projection operators to the individual Cartesian displacement coordinates. 

Consider trans-C2H2Cl2. The vibrational normal modes of this molecule are shown below. What is the symmetry of the molecule Eabel each of the modes with the appropriate irreducible representation. 

The basic idea of symmetry analysis is that any basis of orbitals, displacements, rotations, etc. transforms either as one of the irreducible representations or as a direct sum (reducible) representation. Symmetry tools are used to first determine how the basis transforms under action of the symmetry operations. They are then used to decompose the resultant representations into their irreducible components. 

For a function to transform according to a specific irreducible representation means that the function, when operated upon by a point-group symmetry operator, yields a linear combination of the functions that transform according to that irreducible representation. For example, a 2pz orbital (z is the C3 axis of NH3) on the nitrogen atom... 

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