Efficient method for the generation and display of electrostatic potential surfaces from ab-initio wavefunctions.

A cost effective color graphics representation of molecular electrostatic potential surfaces employing the cumulative atomic or bond multipole moments has been described. A general description of the method used to obtain cumulative multipole moments directly from ab-initio wavefunctions is given, along with an outline of the algorithm for generating electrostatic potential surfaces in the molecular graphics programs MOL17 (FORTRAN 77, Silicon Graphics 3130 and 4D series workstations) and PCMCAMM (Turbo Pascal, IBM PC and PS/2 computers). Examples are given that illustrate the convergence of the multiple expansion, the degree of basis-set dependence compensated by the use of higher atomic moments, and the effect of placing additional expansion centers along the bonds.