The validity of electrostatic predictions of the shapes of van der Waals dimers

The interaction energies of the van der Waals dimers H₂O-H₂O, Cl₂-HF, ClF-HF and N₂O-HF have been calculated for a range of geometries using ab initio SCF techniques. The SCF binding energies have been decomposed into electrostatic, exchange, polarisation and charge-transfer contributions and the intermolecular angles optimised with respect to various combinations of the above components. The effects of exchange, polarisation and charge transfer on the shape of a given dimer are found approximately to cancel, so that in each case a purely electrostatic model is capable of predicting intermolecular angles that agree well with those of a full SCF treatment, as well as with experiment. These findings are consistent with the proposals and earlier calculations of Buckingham and Fowler.