![Structure of [Cp*Al]4, a main group organometallic compound. (C5Me5)44Al4.svg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/%28C5Me5%2944Al4.svg/220px-%28C5Me5%2944Al4.svg.png)
Main group organometallic chemistry concerns the preparation and properties of main-group elements directly bonded to carbon. The inventory is large. The compounds exhibit a wide range of properties, including ones that are water-stable and others that are pyrophoric. [1] Many are very useful themselves, as chemical reagents, or as catalysts. [2]
Main group organometallic chemistry are typically categorized according to their position in the periodic table. Another possible classification scheme organizes these compounds according to the nature of the organic substituent: alkyls, aryls, vinyls, etc.
Most homoleptic organo-main group compounds adopt a characteristic oxidation state: RLi, R2Be, R3B/R3Al, R4Si, R3P, R2S. Members where the simplest stoichiometry violates the octet rule often aggregate by formation of bridging alkyl groups. When the alkyl group bridges two main group elements, the bonding is called three-center two-electron bonds. This pattern is seen for dimethyl beryllium and trimethylaluminium. In the case of methyl lithium, the methyl group can be shared (bonded to) three Li centers. These bonding aspects influence the structures: Trimethylaluminium, dimethyl beryllium, and methyl lithium are dimers, polymers, and clusters, respectively.
Academic research often seeks exceptions to conventional stoichiometries and oxidation states, often by use of bulky ligands. Examples include (pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)aluminium(I) (Al(I)), stannylenes (Sn(II)), and diphosphenes (P(I)).
Thus organic derivatives of the electropositive alkali metals and alkaline earth metals tend to be highly reactive toward electrophiles, e.g. oxygen and water. Organic derivatives of the less electropositive main group elements are often robust.
Like their derivatives lacking organic substituents, halides and alkoxide ligands for the later organomain group compounds tend to hydrolyze. Organophosphorus and silanes exhibit this pattern:
Consisting of the terrestrially most abundant elements, main group organometallic compounds have many and often large-scale uses. Commercially important examples include:
Main group organometallic chemistry is sometimes thought to start with publications on the organoarsenic compound called "Cadet's fuming liquid". This derivative of dimethylarsine is easily prepared and hence the subject of an early discovery. [3] A major development was the popularization of Salvarsan, another organoarsenic compound at the beginning of the 1910s. Although ultimately a failed therapeutic, its use ushered in the field of chemotherapy. [4]
An early step in main group organometallic chemistry (if one considers Zn to be a main group element) involved the synthesis of organozinc compounds diethyl zinc by Frankland. [5]
Tetraethyllead is the focus of an infamous episode involving main group organometallic compounds. It was widely used as a fuel additive for much of the 20th century, until it was found to be chronic toxin. [6]
Organometallic chemistry is the study of organometallic compounds, chemical compounds containing at least one chemical bond between a carbon atom of an organic molecule and a metal, including alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metals, and sometimes broadened to include metalloids like boron, silicon, and selenium, as well. Aside from bonds to organyl fragments or molecules, bonds to 'inorganic' carbon, like carbon monoxide, cyanide, or carbide, are generally considered to be organometallic as well. Some related compounds such as transition metal hydrides and metal phosphine complexes are often included in discussions of organometallic compounds, though strictly speaking, they are not necessarily organometallic. The related but distinct term "metalorganic compound" refers to metal-containing compounds lacking direct metal-carbon bonds but which contain organic ligands. Metal β-diketonates, alkoxides, dialkylamides, and metal phosphine complexes are representative members of this class. The field of organometallic chemistry combines aspects of traditional inorganic and organic chemistry.
In organometallic chemistry, organolithium reagents are chemical compounds that contain carbon–lithium (C–Li) bonds. These reagents are important in organic synthesis, and are frequently used to transfer the organic group or the lithium atom to the substrates in synthetic steps, through nucleophilic addition or simple deprotonation. Organolithium reagents are used in industry as an initiator for anionic polymerization, which leads to the production of various elastomers. They have also been applied in asymmetric synthesis in the pharmaceutical industry. Due to the large difference in electronegativity between the carbon atom and the lithium atom, the C−Li bond is highly ionic. Owing to the polar nature of the C−Li bond, organolithium reagents are good nucleophiles and strong bases. For laboratory organic synthesis, many organolithium reagents are commercially available in solution form. These reagents are highly reactive, and are sometimes pyrophoric.
A cyclopentadienyl complex is a coordination complex of a metal and cyclopentadienyl groups. Cyclopentadienyl ligands almost invariably bind to metals as a pentahapto (η5-) bonding mode. The metal–cyclopentadienyl interaction is typically drawn as a single line from the metal center to the center of the Cp ring.
Amidines are organic compounds with the functional group RC(NR)NR2, where the R groups can be the same or different. They are the imine derivatives of amides (RC(O)NR2). The simplest amidine is formamidine, HC(=NH)NH2.
Cacodyl, also known as dicacodyl or tetramethyldiarsine, (CH3)2As–As(CH3)2, is an organoarsenic compound that constitutes a major part of "Cadet's fuming liquid" (named after the French chemist Louis Claude Cadet de Gassicourt). It is a poisonous oily liquid with an extremely unpleasant garlicky odor. Cacodyl undergoes spontaneous combustion in dry air.
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.
n-Butyllithium C4H9Li (abbreviated n-BuLi) is an organolithium reagent. It is widely used as a polymerization initiator in the production of elastomers such as polybutadiene or styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS). Also, it is broadly employed as a strong base (superbase) in the synthesis of organic compounds as in the pharmaceutical industry.
Organophosphorus chemistry is the scientific study of the synthesis and properties of organophosphorus compounds, which are organic compounds containing phosphorus. They are used primarily in pest control as an alternative to chlorinated hydrocarbons that persist in the environment. Some organophosphorus compounds are highly effective insecticides, although some are extremely toxic to humans, including sarin and VX nerve agents.
Organozinc chemistry is the study of the physical properties, synthesis, and reactions of organozinc compounds, which are organometallic compounds that contain carbon (C) to zinc (Zn) chemical bonds.
Organotitanium chemistry is the science of organotitanium compounds describing their physical properties, synthesis, and reactions. Organotitanium compounds in organometallic chemistry contain carbon-titanium chemical bonds. They are reagents in organic chemistry and are involved in major industrial processes.
Organoaluminium chemistry is the study of compounds containing bonds between carbon and aluminium. It is one of the major themes within organometallic chemistry. Illustrative organoaluminium compounds are the dimer trimethylaluminium, the monomer triisobutylaluminium, and the titanium-aluminium compound called Tebbe's reagent. The behavior of organoaluminium compounds can be understood in terms of the polarity of the C−Al bond and the high Lewis acidity of the three-coordinated species. Industrially, these compounds are mainly used for the production of polyolefins.
Group 2 organometallic chemistry refers to the organic derivativess of any group 2 element. It is a subtheme to main group organometallic chemistry. By far the most common group 2 organometallic compounds are the magnesium-containing Grignard reagents which are widely used in organic chemistry. Other organometallic group 2 compounds are typically limited to academic interests.
Organoarsenic chemistry is the chemistry of compounds containing a chemical bond between arsenic and carbon. A few organoarsenic compounds, also called "organoarsenicals," are produced industrially with uses as insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. In general these applications are declining in step with growing concerns about their impact on the environment and human health. The parent compounds are arsane and arsenic acid. Despite their toxicity, organoarsenic biomolecules are well known.
Organozirconium chemistry is the science of exploring the properties, structure, and reactivity of organozirconium compounds, which are organometallic compounds containing chemical bonds between carbon and zirconium. Organozirconium compounds have been widely studied, in part because they are useful catalysts in Ziegler-Natta polymerization.
Organouranium chemistry is the science exploring the properties, structure, and reactivity of organouranium compounds, which are organometallic compounds containing a carbon to uranium chemical bond. The field is of some importance to the nuclear industry and of theoretical interest in organometallic chemistry.
Organobismuth chemistry is the chemistry of organometallic compounds containing a carbon to bismuth chemical bond. Applications are few. The main bismuth oxidation states are Bi(III) and Bi(V) as in all higher group 15 elements. The energy of a bond to carbon in this group decreases in the order P > As > Sb > Bi. The first reported use of bismuth in organic chemistry was in oxidation of alcohols by Frederick Challenger in 1934 (using Ph3Bi(OH)2). Knowledge about methylated species of bismuth in environmental and biological media is limited.
Organosodium chemistry is the chemistry of organometallic compounds containing a carbon to sodium chemical bond. The application of organosodium compounds in chemistry is limited in part due to competition from organolithium compounds, which are commercially available and exhibit more convenient reactivity.
Tris(oxazolinyl)borate compounds are a class of tridentate ligands; often abbreviated ToR, where R is the substituent on the oxazoline ring. Most commonly the substituent is either a methyl, propyl, tert-butyl or hydrogen. The formation of anionic boron backbone with addition of a phenyl group on boron allows the ligand to strongly bind to the metal center. It results in a more robust complex.
Organoberyllium chemistry involves the synthesis and properties of organometallic compounds featuring the group 2 alkaline earth metal beryllium (Be). The area remains less developed relative to the chemistry of other main-group elements, because Be compounds are toxic and few applications have been found.
Organothallium compounds are compounds that contain the carbon-thallium bond. The area is not well developed because of the lack of applications and the high toxicity of thallium. The behavior of organothallium compounds can be inferred from that of organogallium and organoindium compounds. Organothallium(III) compounds are more numerous than organothallium(I) compounds.
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