Quantum-chemical estimates of geometric parameters of free radicals

Experimental geometries of the HCO^· and H₂CO^·+ -electron radicals were compared with those obtained from calculations with the total energy optimization carried out in the framework of widely used ab initio and semiempirical computational procedures. For each structural form of the radicals, the magnetic resonance parameters calculated in the MNDO approximation were correlated with experimental values determined by ESR spectroscopy. Comparative analysis of the results obtained indicates the possibility of systematic correction of the optimized geometric parameters of free radicals using the results of ESR measurements. A simple computational procedure for automatic geometry correction in the MNDO approximation is developed and evaluated.