The structure, properties, and reactivity of a molecule are dependent on straightforward bonding interactions including covalent bonds, ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, and other forms of bonding. This bonding supplies a basic molecular skeleton that is modified by repulsive forces generally considered steric effects. Basic bonding and steric effects are at times insufficient to explain many structures, properties, and reactivity. Thus, steric effects are often contrasted and complemented by electronic effects, implying the influence of effects such as induction, conjunction, orbital symmetry, electrostatic interactions, and spin state. There are more esoteric electronic effects but these are among the most important when considering chemical structure and reactivity.
Special computational procedure was developed to separate steric and electronic effects of an arbitrary group in the molecule and to reveal their influence on structure and reactivity.