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12: Quantum Mechanical Picture of Bond Making and Breaking Reactions

  • Page ID
    60569
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    Along "reaction paths", configurations can be connected one-to-one according to their symmetries and energies. This is another part of the Woodward-Hoffmann rules

    • 12.1: Concepts of Configuration and State Energies
      The energy of a particular electronic state of an atom or molecule has been expressed in terms of Hamiltonian matrix elements, using the Slater-Condon rules, over the various spin-and spatially adapted determinants or CSFs. Plots of the diagonal CSF energies, connected according to symmetry, constitute a configuration correlation diagram (CCD).
    • 12.2: Mixing of Covalent and Ionic Configurations
      The detailed examination of the H2 molecule via the valence bond and molecular orbital approaches forms the basis of our thinking about bonding when confronted with new systems. Let us examine this model system in further detail to explore the electronic states that arise by occupying two orbitals (derived from the two 1s orbitals on the two hydrogen atoms) with two electrons.
    • 12.3: Various Types of Configuration Mixing
      As motion occurs along the proposed reaction path, geometries may be encountered at which it is essential to describe the electronic wavefunction in terms of a linear combination of more than one CSF. Such essential configuration mixing is often referred to as treating "essential CI". To achieve reasonable chemical accuracy in electronic structure calculations it is necessary to use a multiconfigurational wavefunctions even in situations where no obvious strong configuration mixing is present


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