Re: CCL:TM force fields - questions



 Hi, just to add my 2 cents to the discussion.
 I substantially agree with P-O Norrby and with R K Szilagy.
 I have been working many years with pure MM methods on the stereo- and
 regioselectivity in the polymerization of 1-alkenes with  heterogeneous
 and homogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts.
 A few years ago, to make such calculations you had to "guess"  several
 force field parameters, or just fix some internal  coordinates to
 "reasonable" values. Although quite rude, the approach has worked.
 In the last few years, however, several research groups developed  MM
 force fields for metallocenes, and now the MM calculations on  these
 systems can be done without any "guess" or fixing of internal
 coordinates.
 Force fields for metallocenes can be found in:
     Doman et al     JACS            1992, 114, 7264
     Hollis et al    Organometallics 1993, 12, 3385
     Doman et al     JACS            1995, 117, 1352
     Howler et al    Organometallics 1994, 13, 2380
 Good resumes on the applications can be found in:
     Resconi et al   Chem Rev 2000, 100, 1253
     Angermund et al Chem Rev 2000, 100, 1457
 The improvements of MM force fields for TM complexes has been rather good
 in the last years. And the results obtained with such developments are
 there to witness the validity of such approaches. Clearly, people have to
 know what CAN be done and what CANNOT be done with MM.
 In the post of Szilagy, the applicability of such methods is briefly but
 correctly reviewed.
 Regards,
 Luigi
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 | Dr. Luigi Cavallo                                Dept. of Chemistry    |
 | Ph:  ++39-81-2536635                             Univ. of Naples       |
 | Fax: ++39-81-5527771                             Via Mezzocannone 4    |
 | Email cavallo-: at :-chemistry.unina.it                 I-80134 Napoli, ITALY
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