Review of experimental GAPT and infrared atomic charges in molecules

Abstract

This review contains experimental values of polar tensors and generalized atomic polar tensor (GAPT) charges determined since the publication of the polar tensor formulism for infrared intensity interpretation in 1961. GAPT charges, also called mean dipole moment derivatives, for167 atoms of 67 molecules are discussed and compared with infrared charges also determined completely from experimental intensities. The importance of the charge transfer and polarization dynamic contributions to the GAPT charge are emphasized as they differentiate this charge from most theoretically calculated charges. The inclusion of these dynamic contributions is shown to be necessary to provide adequate numerical descriptions of core electron ionization energy processes. These contributions are expected to be important in studies of chemical reactivity.