5.6: Heavy-Atom Method
An application of Patterson methods in crystal structure determination . For a compound containing a heavy atom ( i.e. one with a significantly higher atomic scattering factor than the others present) the diffraction phases calculated from the position of the heavy atom are used to compute a first approximate electron density map . Further portions of the structure are recognizable as additional peaks in the map. Successive approximate electron density maps may then be calculated to solve the entire structure.