Calculation of conformations of organic molecules

The most stable conformation of the molecule has a minimum of potential energy that arises due to the competition between the tendency of the valency angles to take ideal values and that of non-bonded atoms to be situated at an equilibrium distance. The equilibrium distance is equal to the sum of intermolecular radii determined by measuring the distances between atoms of adjacent molecules in the crystal. This idea is suggested as underlying a method of computation that enables to solve two problems. Firstly, the structure of the molecule being known, it becomes possible to ascertain the points of the interaction curve of the non-bonded atoms and secondly, with the interaction curve known, one can calculate the optimal configuration of the molecule.

To illustrate the suggested theory the conformation of molecules of some cyclic hydrocarbons has been calculated. It is to be stressed that the investigation of the conformation of strained molecules affords the main means of studying the interaction of non-bonded atoms.