Dipole polarizability and Rayleigh light scattering by the hydrated electron

Assuming the existence of a confined state of the electron in bulk water the polarizability of the hydrated electron is analyzed. Statistically uncorrelated supermolecular structures composed of seven water molecules (first solvation shell) with an extra electron were extracted from classical Monte Carlo simulation and used in quantum mechanical second-order Møller–Plesset calculations. It is found that the bound excess electron contributes with 274 a.u. to the total dipole polarizability of 345 a.u. for ( H 2 O ) 7 − . From the calculated polarizabilities the Rayleigh elastic light scattering properties are inferred and found to considerably enhance activity and light depolarization.