Molecular orbital theory approximation

Although a separation of electronic and nuclear motion provides an important simplification and appealing qualitative model for chemistry, the electronic Sclirodinger equation is still fomiidable. Efforts to solve it approximately and apply these solutions to the study of spectroscopy, stmcture and chemical reactions fonn the subject of what is usually called electronic structure theory or quantum chemistry. The starting point for most calculations and the foundation of molecular orbital theory is the independent-particle approximation. 

A superb treatment of applied molecular orbital theory and its application to organic, inorganic and solid state chemistry. Perhaps the best source for appreciating the power of the independent-particle approximation and its remarkable ability to account for qualitative behaviour in chemical systems. 

Presell is the basic theory of tjuaiiHim mechanics, particularly, semi-empirical molecular orbital theory. The authors detail and justify the approximations inherent in the semi-empirical Ham illoTi ian s. Includes useful discussion s of th e appiicaliori s of these methods to specific research problems. 

I nple J A and D L Beveridge, 1970. Approximate Molecular Orbital Theory. New York, McGraw-Hill. Riduirds W G and D L Cooper 1983. Ab initio Molecular Orbital Calculations for Qieniists. 2nd Edition. Oxford, Clarendon Press. 

V. Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap. Journal of Chemical Physics 47 2026-2033. pie J A, D P Santry and G A Segal 1965. Approximate Self-Consistent Molecular Orbital Theory. I. 

Invariant Procedures. Journal of Chemical Physics 43 S129-S135. pie J A and G A Segal 1965. Approximate Self-Consistent Molecular Orbital Theory. II. Calculations with Complete Neglect of Differential Overlap. The Journal of Chemical Physics 43 S136-S149. iple J A and G A Segal 1966. Approximate Self-Consistent Molecular Orbital Theory. III. CNDO Results for AB2 and AB3 systems. Journal of Chemical Physics 44 3289-3296. 

In summary, we have made three assumptions 1) the Bom-Oppenheimer approximation, 2) the independent particle assumption governing molecular orbitals, and 3) the assumption of n-molecular orbital theory, but the third is unique to the Huckel molecular orbital method. 

Because of its severe approximations, in using the Huckel method (1932) one ignores most of the real problems of molecular orbital theory. This is not because Huckel, a first-rate mathematician, did not see them clearly they were simply beyond the power of primitive mechanical calculators of his day. Huckel theory provided the foundation and stimulus for a generation s research, most notably in organic chemistry. Then, about 1960, digital computers became widely available to the scientific community. 

As presented, semi-empirieal methods are based on a single-eonfiguration pieture of eleetronie strueture. Extensions of sueh approaehes to permit eonsideration of more than a single important eonfiguration have been made (for exeellent overviews, see Approximate Molecular Orbital Theory by J. A. Pople and D. E. Beveridge, McGraw-Hill, New York... 

J. A. Pople, D. L. Beveridge Approximate Molecular Orbital Theory McGraw-Hill, New York (1970). 

Energy, geometry, dipole moment, and the electrostatic potential all have a clear relation to experimental values. Calculated atomic charges are a different matter. There are various ways to define atomic charges. HyperChem uses Mulliken atomic charges, which are commonly used in Molecular Orbital theory. These quantities have only an approximate relation to experiment their values are sensitive to the basis set and to the method of calculation. 

The simplest approximation to the Schrodinger equation is an independent-electron approximation, such as the Hiickel method for Jt-electron systems, developed by E. Hiickel. Later, others, principally Roald Hoffmann of Cornell University, extended the Hiickel approximations to arbitrary systems having both n and a electrons—the Extended Hiickel Theory (EHT) approximation. This chapter describes some of the basics of molecular orbital theory with a view to later explaining the specifics of HyperChem EHT calculations. 

Section 2.4 In molecular orbital theory, the molecular orbitals (MOs) are approximated by combining the atomic orbitals (AOs) of all of the atoms in a molecule. The number of MOs must equal the number of AOs that ar e combined. 

Ab initio molecular orbital theory is concerned with predicting the properties of atomic and molecular systems. It is based upon the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics and uses a variety of mathematical transformation and approximation techniques to solve the fundamental equations. This appendix provides an introductory overview of the theory underlying ab initio electronic structure methods. The final section provides a similar overview of the theory underlying Density Functional Theory methods. 

The first approximation we ll consider comes from the interpretation of as a probability density for the electrons within the system. Molecular orbital theory decomposes t(/ into a combination of molecular orbitals <()j, (jij,. To fulfill some of the conditions on we discussed previously, we choose a normalized, orthogonal set of molecular orbitals ... 

Craig, D. P., Proc. Roy. Soc. London) A200, 474, Configurational interaction in molecular orbital theory. A higher approximation in the non-empirical method." (i)... 

The VB and MO theories are both procedures for constructing approximations to the wavefunctions of electrons, but they construct these approximations in different ways. The language of valence-bond theory, in which the focus is on bonds between pairs of atoms, pervades the whole of organic chemistry, where chemists speak of o- and TT-bonds between particular pairs of atoms, hybridization, and resonance. However, molecular orbital theory, in which the focus is on electrons that spread throughout the nuclear framework and bind the entire collection of atoms together, has been developed far more extensively than valence-bond... 

Pople JA, Beveridge DL (1970) Approximate Molecular Orbital Theory. McGraw Hill, New Y ork... 

Pople JA, Segal GA. Approximate self-consistent molecular orbital theory. II. Calculations with complete neglect of differential overlap. J Chem Phys 1965 43 S136-49. 

Pople JA, Beveridge DL. Approximate molecular orbital theory. New York McGraw-Hill, 1970. 

Parallel to this use of relatively simple approximations of the molecular orbital theory to the study of complex molecules Berthier has investigated the possible utilization of more refined molecular orbital procedures in the study of necessarily smaller molecules. We owe him the first application of the SCF method to the study of fulvene and azulene and also a pioneering extension, presented in 1953, of the SCF method to the study of molecules with incomplete electronic shells. 

The variation method is usually employed to determine an approximate value of the lowest eneigy state (the ground state) of a given atomic or molecular system. It can, furthermore, be extended to the calculation of energy levels of excited stales. It forms the basis of molecular orbital theory and that which is often referred to (incorrectly) as theoretical chemistry". 

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