QTAIM and the Interactive Conception of Chemical Bonding

Philosophy of Science 86 (5):1307-1317 (2019)
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Abstract

Quantum physics is the foundation for chemistry, but the concept of chemical bonding is not easily reconciled with quantum mechanical models of molecular systems. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules, developed by Richard F.W. Bader and colleagues, seeks to define bonding using a topological analysis of the electron density distribution. The “bond paths” identified by the analysis are posited as indicators of a special pairwise physical relationship between atoms. While elements of the theory remain subject to debate, I argue that QTAIM embodies a distinctive interactive conception of bonding that is an attractive alternative to others previously discussed.

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Stephen Esser
University of Pennsylvania (PhD)

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The Nature of the Chemical Bond.Linus Pauling - 1941 - Philosophy of Science 8 (1):133-133.
Two conceptions of the chemical bond.Robin Findlay Hendry - 2008 - Philosophy of Science 75 (5):909-920.

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