Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 October 2008
In the last two decades a family of closely related functions have been introduced for the solution of quantum-mechanical problems. In dealing with atomic and molecular systems Pauling (12) introduced in 1928 linear combinations of the eigenfunctions of a single atom, which were called hybrids. These have specific symmetry properties which were utilized by Kimball (6) to construct a group-theoretical method for their determination. More recently Lennard-Jones (8) defined linear combinations of molecular eigenfunctions which he called equivalent orbitals. These are formally similar to the hybrids and Lennard-Jones took over the Kimball method for their determination.