Relativistic electronic structure theory

Takahito Nakajima1, Takeshi Yanai, Kimihiko Hirao

  • 1Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.

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VSEPR Theory

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VSEPR Theory and the Basic Shapes

Overview of VSEPR Theory
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Electronic Structure of Atoms


An atom comprises protons and neutrons, which are contained inside the dense, central core called the nucleus, with electrons present around the nucleus. Taking into account the wave–particle duality of electrons and the uncertainty in position around the nucleus, quantum mechanics provides a more accurate model for the atomic structure. It describes atomic orbitals as the regions around the nucleus where electrons of discrete energy exist, characterized by four quantum numbers:  n, l, ml, and...
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Radicals: Electronic Structure and Geometry

This lesson delves into the geometry of a radical, which is influenced by the electronic structure of the molecule. The principle is similar to that of a lone pair, where the unpaired electron influences the geometry at the radical center.
Accordingly, the structure of a trivalent radical lies between the geometries of carbocations and carbanions. An sp2-hybridized carbocation is trigonal planar, while an sp3-hybridized carbanion is trigonal pyramidal. Here, the difference in geometry is...
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According to the theory of resonance, if two or more Lewis structures with the same arrangement of atoms can be written for a molecule, ion, or radical, the actual distribution of electrons is an average of that shown by the various Lewis structures.Resonance Structures and Resonance HybridsThe Lewis structure of a nitrite anion (NO2−) may actually be drawn in two different ways, distinguished by the locations of the N–O and N=O bonds.If nitrite ions contain a single and a double bond, the two...
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The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom

Shortly after de Broglie published his ideas that the electron in a hydrogen atom could be better thought of as being a circular standing wave instead of a particle moving in quantized circular orbits, Erwin Schrödinger extended de Broglie’s work by deriving what is now known as the Schrödinger equation. When Schrödinger applied his equation to hydrogen-like atoms, he was able to reproduce Bohr’s expression for the energy and, thus, the Rydberg formula governing hydrogen spectra. Schrödinger...