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Unicorns in the world of chemical bonding models
Gernot Frenking1, Andreas Krapp
1Fachbereich Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Strasse, D-35043 Marburg, Germany. frenking@chemie.uni-marburg.de
Abstract:
The appearance and the significance of heuristically developed bonding models are compared with the phenomenon of unicorns in mythical saga. It is argued that classical bonding models played an essential role for the development of the chemical science providing the language which is spoken in the territory of chemistry. The advent and the further development of quantum chemistry demands some restrictions and boundary conditions for classical chemical bonding models, which will continue to be integral parts of chemistry.
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