Robert S. Mulliken was an American physicist and chemist, known for his work in molecular orbital theory and his contributions to quantum chemistry. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1966 for his fundamental work in the development of molecular orbital theory, which provided a better understanding of chemical bonding and the electronic structure of molecules. Mulliken's work involved the use of quantum mechanics to explain how atoms combine to form molecules, focusing on the behavior of electrons.
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Robert S. Mulliken proposed an electronegativity-related scale combining ionization energy and electron affinity. Mulliken electronegativity represents a balance between the energetic cost of electron removal and the energetic benefit of electron attachment.
The construction differs from a bond-energy scale. Specifying electronic states and units is essential when comparing the two approaches.[ref]
Portrait of Robert S. Mulliken
. GFHund; photograph from Friedrich Hund's estate, held by Gerhard Hund. CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Source.