Implementation and validation of the Lacks-Gordon exchange functional in conventional density functional and adiabatic connection methods

We present an analysis of the numerical performances of the exchange functional proposed by Lacks and Gordon, which we have implemented in the Gaussian series of programs. This functional has been built with the double aim of respecting most of the known scaling and asymptotic properties and of giving good numerical performances, especially as concerns noncovalent interactions. We have found that the coupling of the Lacks-Gordon exchange and Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functionals provides a reliable conventional density functional approach. The corresponding parameter-free adiabatic connection model, in which the ratio between Hartree-Fock and Lacks-Gordon exchange is determined a priori from purely theoretical considerations, allows us to obtain remarkable results for both covalent and noncovalent interactions in a satisfactory theoretical scheme, encompassing the free electron gas limit and most of the known scaling conditions. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 418–429, 1998