Activity Listings
- Draft of a Statement on The National Academy of Sciences. [Filed under LP Science: National Academy of Sciences, 1945-1951: Box #14.019 Folder #19.2]
- Letter from Dr. Jules Duchesne, Insitut d'Astrophysique, Université de Liège, to LP RE: Regrets to inform LP that he has not received the Advanced Fellowship and will not be coming to the U.S. Goes on to invite LP to a memorial meeting in honor of Victor Henri taking place in Liège between June 19th and 26th. Requests he write a paper for the monograph on molecular physics being composed in conjunction with the meetings. [Letter from LP to Duchesne April 18, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: Box #98.12, file:(D: Correspondence, 1947)]
- Letter from Fred E. Wright, Home Secretary, to LP. RE: Comments on LP's reaction to the statement. Thanks him for his analysis. [Filed under LP Science: National Academy of Sciences, 1945-1951: Box #14.019 Folder #19.2]
- Letter from LP to Dr. Fred Stitt RE: States he is looking forward to the conference, but cannot stay the second day. Explains the nature of his talk, and plans to discuss it ahead of time with Stitt. [Letter from Fred Stitt to LP March 4, 1947, note from Fred Stitt to LP March 24, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: #368.7]
- Letter from LP to Dr. R. E. Rundle, Dept. of Chemistry, Iowa State College. [Note from Dr. R. E. Rundle to LP March 8, 1947, letter from Dr. R. E. Rundle to LP March 15, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: #336.12]
March 10, 1947
Dr. Robert Rundle
Department of Chemistry
Iowa State College
Ames, Iowa
Dear Dr. Rundle:
I have been so very busy in recent weeks that my earlier look at your paper was quite cursory. I have now looked at it again, although again not so thoroughly as I should like, and I am glad to tell you my opinion. Please accept these remarks for what they are, the result of some thought about the matter, but not a penentrating study of just what you have written.
My feeling about the system of three orbitals on three atoms and two electrons is the following. There are several alternative ways possible for treating a system of this sort. I myself prefer to use the valence-bond method, with explicit mention of ionic structures and long bonds. It has seemed to me that this method had some advantages over the molecular orbital method, and intermediate methods.
It is, of course, true that the inclusion of your structures I and II adds something to III and IV. The same results could be obtained by including the long bond structure, with a bond between A and 0, and the ionic structure, with the electron pair placed on atom A or atom B or atom C. Indeed, I find on introducing atom I in a wave function A + B and atom II in a wave function B + C and setting up a polyexclusion principle wave function, to correspond to your structures I and II, this function is equivalent to resonance between valence bond structures involving the three atoms, and a structure in which the electron pair is on atom B; that is, an ionic structure.
I do not see any advantage to introducing this ionic structure, and the long bond structure, until it has been shown that they make significant contribution. I would expect the long-bond structure, in fact, to be of very little significance. I would also think that the ionic structure would be of little significance, if the atoms have equal electronegativity, but I may not be right about this.
I do not feel that I understand the argument about the experimental heat of formation of diborans.
As to my use of one electron bond for the boron hydride, as well as no-bonds, I would say that as the years have gone by I have felt disposed to put more and more emphasis on the
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no-bonds, that is, to speak mainly about the resonance of electron pair bonds among alternative positions, with only incidental reference to one-electron bonds.
I shall look forward to seeing your paper on the interstitial compounds.
Sincerely yours,
Linus Pauling:par
- Letter from LP to Dr. Robert B Sosman, Research Laboratory, United States Steel Corp. of Delaware, RE: Praises Sosman's article on silicon for the Encyclopedia Britannica, and makes a number of comments and suggestions, as requested. [Letters from Robert B. Sosman to LP March 5, 1947, March 19, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: #367.1]
- Letter from LP to Prof. Arne Tiselius, cc: Dr. Swingle, RE: Regrets that Tiselius' trip to California is during his trip east. Asks if Tiselius would speak about electrophoresis and chromatography. Mentions the speech by Dr. Claesson and expresses his approval. [Note from Prof. Arne Tiselius to LP March 12, 1947, April 3, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: #407.5]
- Letter from LP to Professor Charles P. Smyth, Department of Chemistry, Princeton University RE: Decides on the second date as the best time, says the subject “Molecular Structure and Biological Specificity”is what he will prepare to present, and asks about the nature of the audience. [Letters from Smyth to LP March 1, 1947, March 20, 1947] [Filed under LP Correspondence: 378.1]
- Letter from R. K. Summerbell, Chairman, Jury of the Willard Gibbs Medal Award, to LP. RE: Informs him that the Award goes to Dr. Wendell M. Stanley. [Filed under LP Science: American Chemical Society: Materials re: Committees and Awards, 1948-1951, 1967: Box #14.010 Folder #10.7]
- Resolution Unanimously Adopted by the Security Council. Having received and considered the First Report of the Atomic Energy Commission dated December 31, 1946, the council urges the Atomic Energy Commission to continue its inquiry into all phases of the problem of international control of atomic energy and to develop as promptly as possible the specific proposals called for and requests that a second report be submitted before the next general assembly session. [Enclosure to letter from Karl to LP, March 12, 1947]. LP Peace: Box 3.017, Folder 17.2
- Writes cheque to “Linus Jr. Birthday” $10.00 [LP Biographical: Business and Financial 4.073, folder 73.5]
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March
10, 1947
