Model of molecular bonding based on the Bohr-Sommerfeld picture of atoms

Abstract

We develop a model of molecular binding based on the Bohr-Sommerfeld description of atoms together with a constraint taken from conventional quantum mechanics. The model can describe the binding energy curves of H2, H3 and other molecules with striking accuracy. Our approach treats electrons as point particles with positions determined by extrema of an algebraic energy function. Our constrained model provides a physically appealing, accurate description of multi-electron chemical bonds.