ORIGINAL PAPER Variation of the electronic dipole polarizability on the reaction path

Abstract The reaction force and the electronic flux, first proposed by Toro-Labbé et al. (J Phys Chem A 103:4398, 1999) have been expressed by the existing conceptual DFT apparatus. The critical points (extremes) of the chemical potential, global hardness and softness have been identified by means of the existing and computable energy derivatives: the Hellman-Feynman force, nuclear reactivity and nuclear stiffness. Specific role of atoms at the reaction center has been unveiled by indicating an alternative method of calcu-lation of the reaction force and the reaction electronic flux. The electron dipole polarizability on the IRC has been analyzed for the model reaction HF + CO→HCOF. The electron polarizability determined on the IRC αe(ξ) was found to be reasonably parallel to the global softness curve S(ξ). The softest state on the IRC (not TS) coincides with zero electronic flux