We consider a singularly perturbed elliptic equation ε 2 u − V (x)u + f (u) = 0, u(x) > 0 on R N , lim |x|→∞ u(x) = 0, where V (x) > 0 for any x ∈ R N. The singularly perturbed problem has corresponding limiting problems U − cU + f (U) = 0, U (x) > 0 on R N , lim |x|→∞ U (x) = 0, c > 0. Berestycki-Lions [3] found almost necessary and sufficient conditions on the nonlinearity f for existence of a solution of the limiting problem. There have been endeavors to construct solutions of the singularly perturbed problem concentrating around structurally stable critical points of the potential V under possibly general conditions on f. In this paper, we prove that under the optimal conditions of Berestycki-Lions on f ∈ C 1 , there exists a solution concentrating around topologically stable positive critical points of V , whose critical values are characterized by minimax methods.