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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
50
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-9-1
pubmed:abstractText
It has been known for quite some time that approximate density functional (ADF) theories fail disastrously when describing the dissociative symmetric radical cations R(2)(+). By considering this dissociation limit, previous work has shown that Hartree-Fock (HF) theory favors the R(+1)-R(0) charge distribution, whereas DF approximations favor the R(+0.5)-R(+0.5). Yet, general quantum mechanical principles indicate that both these (as well as all intermediate) average charge distributions are asymptotically energy degenerate. Thus, HF and ADF theories mistakenly break the symmetry but in a contradicting way. In this letter, we show how to construct system-dependent long-range corrected (LC) density functionals that can successfully treat this class of molecules, avoiding the spurious symmetry breaking. Examples and comparisons to experimental data is given for R = H, He, and Ne, and it is shown that the new LC theory improves considerably the theoretical description of the R(2)(+) bond properties, the long-range form of the asymptotic potential curve, and the atomic polarizability. The broader impact of this finding is discussed as well, and it is argued that the widespread semiempirical approach which advocates treating the LC parameter as a system-independent parameter is in fact inappropriate under general circumstances.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:status
PubMed-not-MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
1520-5215
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
18
pubmed:volume
112
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
12789-91
pubmed:year
2008
pubmed:articleTitle
A density functional theory for symmetric radical cations from bonding to dissociation.
pubmed:affiliation
Institute of Chemistry and the Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904 Israel.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article