Why do the second row transition metal atoms prefer 5s14dm+1 to 5s24dm?

Abstract

Numerical Hartree-Fock (NHF) calculations have been performed for 332 ground and low-lying excited states of the fifth period atoms Rb through Xe, with our special interest in the states arising from the 5s 24d m , 5s 14d m +1, and 5s 0 4d m +2 configurations of the second row transition metal atoms. Among various properties, orbital energies and mean values ofr of the outermost orbitals of each symmetry are presented as well as total energies. It is discussed in some detail why the second row transition metal atoms have a tendency to prefers 1 d m +1 as the ground configuration in contrast to the preferreds 2 d m configuration in the first row transition metal atoms. Our systematic NHF computations reported in this and the previous papers conclude that the Hartree-Fock method correctly predicts the experimental ground state of the atoms He through Xe with the sole exception for Zr.