FROM THE COHERENT-STATE PATH-INTEGRAL TO A SEMICLASSICAL INITIAL-VALUE REPRESENTATION OF THE QUANTUM-MECHANICAL PROPAGATOR

We give a derivation of the semiclassical propagator of Herman and Klu k (HK) which is based on the coherent state path integral technique. O ur procedure unveils how the complex root-search problem underlying th e semiclassical coherent state path integral turns into a real initial value problem and provides an explanation for the advantages of the H K expression which is used frequently in molecular applications. (C) 1 998 Elsevier Science B.V.