SOLVATED ELECTRON IN LIQUID METHANOL - AN EXAMPLE OF A STATISTICAL SPECIES IN CHEMISTRY

The methods of analysis of the statistical ensembles of trapping sites , before and after electron localization, for electrons in disordered media are surveyed. The review covers the computer-search methods for pre-existing traps in polar matrices, random field theory of disordere d polar matrices and the path integral simulations of solvated electro n. The common picture provided by all these methods is emphasized: the solvated electron is a unique in chemistry statistical species charac terized by statistical distributions of the structural parameters, ene rgy states, reactivity, etc. The numerical examples are provided by th e simulations of the trapping sites and the solvated electron in liqui d methanol.