Dianaagnetism of Molecules

Abstract

FOR diatomic homopolar molecules the bond-forming electrons are imagined to be concentrated within the region of the two nuclei and to experience the attractions of the different centres. The resulting torque causes a continual transference of angular momentum between the electron and the nuclei, and, as has been shown by Van Vleok, the average square of the electronic angular momentum, and hence of the magnetic moment, does not vanish even for ¹S state of the molecule. This causes a loss in diamagnetism the magnitude of which is proportional to the degree of concentration of charge within the region between the nuclei; this concentration is also responsible for the more essential part of the binding energy of a homopolar molecule. Hence for diatomic homopolar molecules we should expect that the loss in diamagnetism on molecule formation will be proportional to the binding energy.