Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Computation of Atmospheric Concentrations of Molecular Clusters from ab initio Thermochemistry
Published on: April 8, 2020
Ab initio investigation of benzene clusters: molecular tailoring approach
A Subha Mahadevi1, Anuja P Rahalkar, Shridhar R Gadre
1Molecular Modeling Group, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500 607, India.
Abstract:
An exhaustive study on the clusters of benzene (Bz)(n), n = 2-8, at MP2/6-31++G(∗∗) level of theory is reported. The relative strengths of CH-π and π-π interactions in these aggregates are examined, which eventually govern the pattern of cluster formation. A linear scaling method, viz., molecular tailoring approach (MTA), is efficiently employed for studying the energetics and growth patterns of benzene clusters consisting up to eight benzene (Bz) units. Accuracy of MTA-based calculations is appraised by performing the corresponding standard calculations wherever possible, i.e., up to tetramers. For benzene tetramers, the error introduced in energy is of the order of 0.1 mH (∼0.06 kcal/mol). Although for higher clusters the error may build up, further corrections based on many-body interaction energy analysis substantially reduce the error in the MTA-estimate. This is demonstrated for a prototypical case of benzene hexamer. A systematic way of building up a cluster of n monomers (n-mer) which employs molecular electrostatic potential of an (n-1)-mer is illustrated. The trends obtained using MTA method are essentially identical to those of the standard methods in terms of structure and energy. In summary, this study clearly brings out the possibility of effecting such large calculations, which are not possible conventionally, by the use of MTA without a significant loss of accuracy.
Related Concept Videos
NMR Spectroscopy of Benzene Derivatives
Structure of Benzene: Kekulé Model
He proposed that benzene has a cyclic structure of six carbon atoms attached to one hydrogen atom each, with three alternating pi bonds.
Structure of Benzene: Molecular Orbital Model
Benzene to 1,4-Cyclohexadiene: Birch Reduction Mechanism
Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution: Chlorination and Bromination of Benzene
Nomenclature of Aromatic Compounds with a Single Substituent

