Molecular Theory of Graphene

Abstract

Odd electrons of benzenoid units and the correlation of these electrons having different spins are the main concepts of the molecular theory of graphene. In contrast to the theory of aromaticity, the molecular theory is based on the fact that odd electrons with different spins occupy different places in the space so that the configuration interaction becomes the central point of the theory. Consequently, a multi-determinant presentation of the wave function of the system of weakly interacting odd electrons is utterly mandatory on the way of the theory realization at the computational level. However, the efficacy of the available CI computational techniques is quite restricted in regard to large polyatomic systems, which does not allow performing extensive computational experiments. Facing the problem, computationists have addressed standard single-determinant ones albeit not often being aware of the correctness of the obtained results. The current chapter presents the molecular theory of graphene in terms of single-determinant computational schemes and discloses how reliable information about the electron-correlated system can be obtained by using either UHF or UDFT computational schemes.