  A comprehensive review is presented of single molecule junction conductance
measurements across families of molecules measured while breaking a gold point
contact in a solution of molecules with amine end groups. A theoretical
framework unifies the picture for the amine-gold link bonding and the tunnel
coupling through the junction using Density Functional Theory based
calculations. The reproducible electrical characteristics and utility for many
molecules is shown to result from the selective binding between the gold
electrodes and amine link groups through a donor-acceptor bond to
undercoordinated gold atoms. While the bond energy is modest, the maximum force
sustained by the junction is comparable to, but less than, that required to
break gold point contacts. The calculated tunnel coupling provides conductance
trends for all 41 molecule measurements presented here, as well as insight into
the variability of conductance due to the conformational changes within
molecules with torsional degrees of freedom. The calculated trends agree to
within a factor of two of the measured values for conductance ranging from 10-7
G0 to 10-2 G0, where G0 is the quantum of conductance (2e2/h).
