Issue 36, 2018

Towards the use of experimental electron densities to estimate reliable lattice energies

Abstract

We examine the reliability of lattice energies (and by inference, intermolecular interaction energies) estimated from experimental electron densities. Based on the modest number of results published to date, lattice energies obtained in this fashion typically overestimate more reliable values, sometimes by hundreds of kJ mol−1. The causes of this behaviour are explored in detail, and include a misunderstanding of the contribution of the polarization energy, the failure to recognise the important link to a sublimation process, and the use of inappropriate atom–atom potentials to estimate dispersion and exchange-repulsion energies. It is hoped that this contribution will encourage further research of this nature, and a more critical evaluation of energies derived from high-quality diffraction experiments on molecular crystals.

Graphical abstract: Towards the use of experimental electron densities to estimate reliable lattice energies

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 jul 2018
Accepted
15 aug 2018
First published
15 aug 2018

CrystEngComm, 2018,20, 5340-5347

Towards the use of experimental electron densities to estimate reliable lattice energies

M. A. Spackman, CrystEngComm, 2018, 20, 5340 DOI: 10.1039/C8CE01108G

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