Molecular mechanics of organic halides. III. Fluorinated olefins

A molecular mechanical force field for fluorinated ethylenes and propylenes is described. The field computes geometries, dipole moments, and energy differences between isomers and rotamers. Component analysis indicates that “classical” strains alone (skeletal, nonbonded, electrostatic) cannot account for energy relationships. The discussion is supplemented by a semiempirical quantum chemical comparison of cis- and trans-FCH?CHF and of gauche- and anti-FCH₂CH₂F.