Metal ions play significant
roles in numerous fields including
chemistry, geochemistry, biochemistry, and materials science. With
computational tools increasingly becoming important in chemical research,
methods have emerged to effectively face the challenge of modeling
metal ions in the gas, aqueous, and solid phases. Herein, we review
both quantum and classical modeling strategies for metal ion-containing
systems that have been developed over the past few decades. This Review
focuses on classical metal ion modeling based on unpolarized models
(including the nonbonded, bonded, cationic dummy atom, and combined
models), polarizable models (e.g., the fluctuating charge, Drude oscillator,
and the induced dipole models), the angular overlap model, and valence
bond-based models. Quantum mechanical studies of metal ion-containing
systems at the semiempirical, ab initio, and density functional levels
of theory are reviewed as well with a particular focus on how these
methods inform classical modeling efforts. Finally, conclusions and
future prospects and directions are offered that will further enhance
the classical modeling of metal ion-containing systems.