A number of stable low valent magnesium compounds containing a metal-metal, Mg-Mg, bond, where magnesium exhibits the formal oxidation state of +1 are known. These compounds generally have the formula L2Mg2, where L represents a bulky ligand. [1] The first examples of these stable magnesium(I) compounds were reported in 2007. [2] The chemistry of Mg is dominated by the +2 oxidation state and prior to 2007 only examples of crystalline compounds with short Mg-Mg distances that may indicate an Mg-Mg bond were known, such as the ternary metal hydrides Mg2RuH4, Mg3RuH3, and Mg4IrH5 and magnesium diboride, [3] Calculations had also indicated the stability of the Mg22+ cation. [4]
The preparation of the first compounds made involved the reduction of MgII iodine complexes with potassium metal and the bulky ligands were: [2]
Both examples have the formula L2Mg2, where L represents the bulky anionic bidentate ligand. [2] X-ray crystallographic studies showed an Mg-Mg bond length of 285.1 pm and 284.6 pm. [2] Theoretical studies indicate an essentially ionic formulation Mg22+(L−)2. [2] The Mg22+ ion is the group 2 analogue of the group 12 Hg22+ (present in e.g. mercury(I) chloride) and Cd22+ ions (present in cadmium(I) tetrachloroaluminate).
Since then a variety of stable Mg(I) compounds have been prepared, some melting over 200 °C, some colorless, others colored, but all involving very bulky ligands. [1] Also complexes of the LMgMgL with monodentate ligands have been prepared and in these the coordination of the Mg atom increases from three to four. [1] The magnesium(I) dimers have proved to be useful reducing agents, for example in the preparation of tin(I) compounds. [5]
In chemistry, the oxidation state, or oxidation number, is the hypothetical charge of an atom if all of its bonds to other atoms were fully ionic. It describes the degree of oxidation of an atom in a chemical compound. Conceptually, the oxidation state may be positive, negative or zero. While fully ionic bonds are not found in nature, many bonds exhibit strong ionicity, making oxidation state a useful predictor of charge.
Magnesium diboride is the inorganic compound with the formula MgB2. It is a dark gray, water-insoluble solid. The compound has attracted attention because it becomes superconducting at 39 K (−234 °C). In terms of its composition, MgB2 differs strikingly from most low-temperature superconductors, which feature mainly transition metals. Its superconducting mechanism is primarily described by BCS theory.
Organotin chemistry is the scientific study of the synthesis and properties of organotin compounds or stannanes, which are organometallic compounds containing tin carbon bonds. The first organotin compound was diethyltin diiodide, discovered by Edward Frankland in 1849. The area grew rapidly in the 1900s, especially after the discovery of the Grignard reagents, which are useful for producing Sn–C bonds. The area remains rich with many applications in industry and continuing activity in the research laboratory.
The Reformatsky reaction is an organic reaction which condenses aldehydes or ketones with α-halo esters using metallic zinc to form β-hydroxy-esters:
A quintuple bond in chemistry is an unusual type of chemical bond, first reported in 2005 for a dichromium compound. Single bonds, double bonds, and triple bonds are commonplace in chemistry. Quadruple bonds are rarer but are currently known only among the transition metals, especially for Cr, Mo, W, and Re, e.g. [Mo2Cl8]4− and [Re2Cl8]2−. In a quintuple bond, ten electrons participate in bonding between the two metal centers, allocated as σ2π4δ4.
A Grignard reagent or Grignard compound is a chemical compound with the general formula R−Mg−X, where X is a halogen and R is an organic group, normally an alkyl or aryl. Two typical examples are methylmagnesium chloride Cl−Mg−CH3 and phenylmagnesium bromide (C6H5)−Mg−Br. They are a subclass of the organomagnesium compounds.
In coordination chemistry, a bridging ligand is a ligand that connects two or more atoms, usually metal ions. The ligand may be atomic or polyatomic. Virtually all complex organic compounds can serve as bridging ligands, so the term is usually restricted to small ligands such as pseudohalides or to ligands that are specifically designed to link two metals.
Boron compounds are compounds containing the element boron. In the most familiar compounds, boron has the formal oxidation state +3. These include oxides, sulfides, nitrides, and halides.
Hybrid physical–chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) is a thin-film deposition technique, that combines physical vapor deposition (PVD) with chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
Zinc compounds are chemical compounds containing the element zinc which is a member of the group 12 of the periodic table. The oxidation state of zinc in most compounds is the group oxidation state of +2. Zinc may be classified as a post-transition main group element with zinc(II). Zinc compounds are noteworthy for their nondescript behavior, they are generally colorless, do not readily engage in redox reactions, and generally adopt symmetrical structures.
Organoscandium chemistry is an area with organometallic compounds focused on compounds with at least one carbon to scandium chemical bond. The interest in organoscandium compounds is mostly academic but motivated by potential practical applications in catalysis, especially in polymerization. A common precursor is scandium chloride, especially its THF complex.
Phosphinidenes are low-valent phosphorus compounds analogous to carbenes and nitrenes, having the general structure RP. The "free" form of these compounds is conventionally described as having a singly-coordinated phosphorus atom containing only 6 electrons in its valence level. Most phosphinidenes are highly reactive and short-lived, thereby complicating empirical studies on their chemical properties. In the last few decades, several strategies have been employed to stabilize phosphinidenes, and researchers have developed a number of reagents and systems that can generate and transfer phosphinidenes as reactive intermediates in the synthesis of various organophosphorus compounds.
Metal amides (systematic name metal azanides) are a class of coordination compounds composed of a metal center with amide ligands of the form NR2−. Amide ligands have two electron pairs available for bonding. In principle, they can be terminal or bridging. In these two examples, the dimethylamido ligands are both bridging and terminal:
Cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl dimer is an organometallic compound with the formula [(η5-C5H5)Fe(CO)2]2, often abbreviated to Cp2Fe2(CO)4, [CpFe(CO)2]2 or even Fp2, with the colloquial name "fip dimer". It is a dark reddish-purple crystalline solid, which is readily soluble in moderately polar organic solvents such as chloroform and pyridine, but less soluble in carbon tetrachloride and carbon disulfide. Cp2Fe2(CO)4 is insoluble in but stable toward water. Cp2Fe2(CO)4 is reasonably stable to storage under air and serves as a convenient starting material for accessing other Fp (CpFe(CO)2) derivatives (described below).
Hauser bases, also called magnesium amide bases, are magnesium compounds used in organic chemistry as bases for metalation reactions. These compounds were first described by Charles R. Hauser in 1947. Compared with organolithium reagents, the magnesium compounds have more covalent, and therefore less reactive, metal-ligand bonds. Consequently, they display a higher degree of functional group tolerance and a much greater chemoselectivity. Generally, Hauser bases are used at room temperature while reactions with organolithium reagents are performed at low temperatures, commonly at −78 °C.
Magnesium monohydride is a molecular gas with formula MgH that exists at high temperatures, such as the atmospheres of the Sun and stars. It was originally known as magnesium hydride, although that name is now more commonly used when referring to the similar chemical magnesium dihydride.
Germanium(II) hydrides, also called germylene hydrides, are a class of Group 14 compounds consisting of low-valent germanium and a terminal hydride. They are also typically stabilized by an electron donor-acceptor interaction between the germanium atom and a large, bulky ligand.
Plumbylenes (or plumbylidenes) are divalent organolead(II) analogues of carbenes, with the general chemical formula, R2Pb, where R denotes a substituent. Plumbylenes possess 6 electrons in their valence shell, and are considered open shell species.
An N-heterocyclic carbene boryl anion is an isoelectronic structure of an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), where the carbene carbon is replaced with a boron atom that has a -1 charge. NHC boryl anions have a planar geometry, and the boron atom is considered to be sp2-hybridized. They serve as extremely strong bases, as they are very nucleophilic. They also have a very strong trans influence, due to the σ-donation coming from the boron atom. NHC boryl anions have stronger electron-releasing character when compared to normal NHCs. These characteristics make NHC boryl anions key ligands in many applications, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and more commonly low oxidation state main group element bonding.
A magnesium(I) dimer is a molecular compound containing a magnesium to magnesium bond (Mg-Mg), giving the metal an apparent +1 oxidation state. Alkaline earth metals are commonly found in the +2-oxidation state, such as magnesium. The M2+ are considered as redox-inert, meaning that the +2 state is significant. However, recent advancements in main group chemistry have yielded low-valent magnesium (I) dimers, also given as Mg (I), with the first compound being reported in 2007. They can be generally represented as LMg-MgL, with L being a monoanionic ligand. For example, β-diketiminate, commonly referred to as Nacnac, is a useful chelate regarding these complexes. By tuning the ligand, the thermodynamics of the complex change. For instance, the ability to add substituents onto Nacnac can contribute to the steric bulk, which can affect reactivity and stability. As their discovery has grown, so has their usefulness. They are employed in organic and inorganic reduction reactions. It is soluble in a hydrocarbon solvent, like toluene, stoichiometric, selective, and safe.