Split-shell molecular orbital calculations on the diatomic alkali metal molecules

Absolute g-tensor calculations for planar hydrocarbon and for non-planar phenyl substituted hydrocarbon radicals are reported. The relevant interactions determining g are discussed. Calculations are performed on the basis of a second-order perturbation expansion. The electronic wavefunctions are obtained from a simplified version of Hoffmann's extended Hückel model (SEH), where all valence electrons are taken into account explicitly. For planar systems the observed linear dependence of g on the energy of the half filled π orbital is well reproduced. A qualitative analysis of this dependence, making restrictive assumptions about the σ electrons, was given earlier by Stone. The calculations for non-planar model systems reproduce the g-factor anomalies which are observed for highly twisted phenyl substituted hydrocarbon radicals. The results show the necessity of direct π-σ mixing and are consistent with recent investigations of the proton hyperfine couplings in such systems.