Polarization correction of the electrostatic potential for aromatic-compounds - Study of the nucleophilic-attack

The electrostatic potential (EP) and the polarization correction (PL) on the EP were calculated for four aromatic compounds: benzene, chlorobenzene, phenol, and benzoic amide, at the ab initio SCF level within two basis sets: 6-31G** and MINI-1. One calculation was performed using the polarized MINI-1** basis set. The quantity total interaction energy (TEH) defined as -EP + PL can be used as an indicator of the nucleophilic attack preferential position. By reference to 6-31G**, MINI-I provides very satisfactory results. Moreover, the MINI-1** results are very similar to the MINI-I ones. It appears that -EP does not provide a reliable tool to study the nucleophilic attack susceptibility, whereas TEH seems to be very well adapted for this kind of approach.