Molecular structure valence

Section 8.13 molecular structure valence shell electron-pair repulsion (VSEPR) model linear structure trigonal planar structure tetrahedral structure trigonal pyramid trigonal bipyramid octahedral structure square planar structure... 

There are two major approaches to the calculation of molecular structure, valence bond theory (VB theory) and molecular orbital theory (MO theory). Almost all modern computational work makes use of MO theory, and we concentrate on that theory in this chapter. Valence bond theory, however, has left its imprint on the language of chemistry, and it is important to know the significance of terms that chemists use every day. The structure of this chapter is therefore as follows. First, we present VB theory and the terms it introduces. Next, we present in more detail the basic ideas of MO theory. Finally, we see how computational techniques based on MO theory pervade all current discussions of molecular structure, including the prediction of the physiological properties of therapeutic agents. 

Scientists dedicated to probing the nature of molecular forces undoubtedly shared in the excitement surrounding the introduction of matrix and wave mechanics in 1926. Postulated to contain all information available about a given physical system, the Schrodinger equation was in essence a complete description, and thus it seemed obvious the equation should serve as the basis for theoretical treatments of molecular structure, valency, and reactivity. Yet the new theory offered only the elegant, aloof formalism of the stationary state ... 

The concept of connection tablc.s, a.s shown. so far, cannot represent adequately quite a number of molecular structures. Basically, a connection table represents only a single valence bond structure. Thus, any chemical species that cannot he described adequately by a single valence bond (VB) structure with single or multiple bonds between two atom.s is not handled accurately. 

We describe here a new structure representation which extends the valence bond concept by new bond types that account for multi-haptic and electron-deficient bonds. This representation is called Representation Architecture for Molecular Structures by Electron Systems (RAMSES) it tries to incorporate ideas from Molecular Orbital (MO) Theory [8T]. 

Many of the descriptors which can be calculated from the 2D structure rely upon the molecular graph representation because of the need for rapid calculations. Kier and Hall have developed a large number of topological indices, each of which characterises the molecular structure as a single number [Hall and Kier 1991]. Every non-hydrogen atom ir the molecule is characterised by two delta values, the simple delta Si and the valence delta SJ ... 

The simplest molecular orbital method to use, and the one involving the most drastic approximations and assumptions, is the Huckel method. One str ength of the Huckel method is that it provides a semiquantitative theoretical treatment of ground-state energies, bond orders, electron densities, and free valences that appeals to the pictorial sense of molecular structure and reactive affinity that most chemists use in their everyday work. Although one rarely sees Huckel calculations in the resear ch literature anymore, they introduce the reader to many of the concepts and much of the nomenclature used in more rigorous molecular orbital calculations. 

Several methods of quantitative description of molecular structure based on the concepts of valence bond theory have been developed. These methods employ orbitals similar to localized valence bond orbitals, but permitting modest delocalization. These orbitals allow many fewer structures to be considered and remove the need for incorporating many ionic structures, in agreement with chemical intuition. To date, these methods have not been as widely applied in organic chemistry as MO calculations. They have, however, been successfully applied to fundamental structural issues. For example, successful quantitative treatments of the structure and energy of benzene and its heterocyclic analogs have been developed. It remains to be seen whether computations based on DFT and modem valence bond theory will come to rival the widely used MO programs in analysis and interpretation of stmcture and reactivity. 

McWeeny, R., Proc. Roy. Soc. London) A223, 306, The valence-bond theory of molecular structure. II. Reformulation of the theory."... 

In molecular orbital theory, electrons occupy orbitals called molecular orbitals that spread throughout the entire molecule. In other words, whereas in the Lewis and valence-bond models of molecular structure the electrons are localized on atoms or between pairs of atoms, in molecular orbital theory all valence electrons are delocalized over the whole molecule, not confined to individual bonds. 

There are two principal methods available for the quantum mechanical treatment of molecular structure, the valence bond method and the molecular orbital method. In this paper we shall make use of the latter, since it is simpler in form and is more easily adapted to quantitative calculations.3 We accordingly consider each electron... 

In one respect the valence shell electron-pair repulsion theory is no better (and no worse) than other theories of molecular structure. Predictions can only be made when the constitution is known, i.e. when it is already known which and how many atoms are joined... 

To derive the values of the coefficients at, Ph y, and 8i so that the bond energy is maximized and the correct molecular structure results, the mutual interactions between the electrons have to be considered. This requires a great deal of computational expenditure. However, in a qualitative manner the interactions can be estimated rather well that is exactly what the valence shell electron-pair repulsion theory accomplishes. 

Bis(bipyridyl)nickel(0) has been prepared by metal-vapor methods and electrochemical data were obtained for it. In these low-valence states, a significant proportion of the electron density lies on the bipy ligand.2469 Also, the crystal and molecular structure of 4,6-dimethyl-2,2 -dipyr-idyldicarbonylnickel(O) (1021) has been determined. The coordination geometry about Ni is tetrahedral.2470... 

In this chapter, the descriptions of molecular structure will be primarily in terms of a valence bond approach, but the molecular orbital method will be discussed in Chapter 5. As we shall see, construction of molecular orbital diagrams for polyatomic species is simplified by making use of symmetry, which will also be discussed in Chapter 5. 

At the low end of the hierarchy are the TS descriptors. This is the simplest of the four classes molecular structure is viewed only in terms of atom connectivity, not as a chemical entity, and thus no chemical information is encoded. Examples include path length descriptors [13], path or cluster connectivity indices [13,14], and number of circuits. The TC descriptors are more complex in that they encode chemical information, such as atom and bond type, in addition to encoding information about how the atoms are connected within the molecule. Examples of TC descriptors include neighborhood complexity indices [23], valence path connectivity indices [13], and electrotopological state indices [17]. The TS and TC are two-dimensional descriptors which are collectively referred to as TIs (Section 31.2.1). They are straightforward in their derivation, uncomplicated by conformational assumptions, and can be calculated very quickly and inexpensively. The 3-D descriptors encode 3-D aspects of molecular structure. At the upper end of the hierarchy are the QC descriptors, which encode electronic aspects of chemical structure. As was mentioned previously, QC descriptors may be obtained using either semiempirical or ab initio calculation methods. The latter can be prohibitive in terms of the time required for calculation, especially for large molecules. 

Quantum mechanics provide many approaches to the description of molecular structure, namely valence bond (VB) theory (8-10), molecular orbital (MO) theory (11,12), and density functional theory (DFT) (13). The former two theories were developed at about the same time, but diverged as competing methods for describing the electronic structure of chemical systems (14). The MO-based methods of calculation have enjoyed great popularity, mainly due to the availability of efficient computer codes. Together with geometry optimization routines for minima and transition states, the MO methods (DFT included) have become prevalent in applications to molecular structure and reactivity. 

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