Effect of ionic charge on energy contributions to the interaction of an ion with a polar molecule: ab initio calculations for M?H2O (M = Mg,Mg+, Mg2+, Ca,Ca+, Ca2+)

For M?H₂O (M = Mg, Mg⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca, Ca⁺, Ca²⁺) various energy contributions (first-order, induction and charge-transfer, dispersion) are compared. Near the minimum, stability due to the first-order energy decreases and that due to dispersion increases from M²⁺ to M⁰. For M²⁺, dispersion represents only 1–7% of the total energy; it may reach 25% with M⁺ and is largely responsible for stability of the neutral complex.