Electronic delocalization in small water rings†
Abstract
Water clusters are known to form through hydrogen bonding. However, this study shows that the formation of small water clusters such as (H2O)n with n = 3 or 4 involves strong electron delocalization. Our first-principles calculations reveal that the electron delocalization originates from both the H and O atomic orbitals and extends to the ring center, enriching the bonding characteristics of water clusters.