| Abstract: | Double-well potential energy surfaces for hydrogen bonding in crystalline vitamin B6 have been associated with molecular environmental effects. New calculations, involving improved representations of a fragmentation model, include the introduction of a second pyridoxinium chloride system within the model in a “dimer-like” configuration. The new results confirm the double-well potential and the prediction of the experimentally observed position for the proton as being due essentially to environmental effects. Atomic difference maps are presented for the charge density distributions, which reflect the nature of the bonding as it depends on the proton position. Mulliken populations are examined particularly in relation to the “intermolecular” transfer of electrons. |
