n-Butyllithium, an organometallic compound. Four lithium atoms (in purple) form atetrahedron, with fourbutyl groups attached to the faces (carbon is black, hydrogen is white).
Organometallic compounds are widely used bothstoichiometrically in research and industrial chemical reactions, as well as in the role of catalysts to increase the rates of such reactions (e.g., as in uses ofhomogeneous catalysis), where target molecules includepolymers, pharmaceuticals, and many other types of practical products.
Dimethylzinc has a linear coordination. It is a volatilepyrophoric liquid that is used in the preparation of semiconducting films.
Lithium diphenylcuprate bis(diethyl etherate) is an example of aGilman reagent, a type oforganocopper complex frequently employed in organic synthesis.
Adenosylcobalamin is acofactor required by several crucial enzymatic reactions that take place in the human body. It is a rare example of a metal (cobalt) alkyl in biology.
Iron(0) pentacarbonyl is a red-orange liquid prepared directly from the union of finely divided iron and carbon monoxide gas under pressure.
Manycomplexes featurecoordination bonds between a metal and organicligands. Complexes where the organic ligands bind the metal through aheteroatom such as oxygen or nitrogen are considered coordination compounds (e.g.,heme A andFe(acac)3). However, if any of the ligands form a direct metal-carbon (M-C) bond, then the complex is considered to be organometallic. Although theIUPAC has not formally defined the term, some chemists use the term "metalorganic" to describe any coordination compound containing an organic ligand regardless of the presence of a direct M-C bond.[5]
The status of compounds in which thecanonical anion has a negative charge that is shared between (delocalized) a carbon atom and an atom moreelectronegative than carbon (e.g.enolates) may vary with the nature of the anionicmoiety, the metal ion, and possibly the medium. In the absence of direct structural evidence for a carbon–metal bond, such compounds are not considered to be organometallic.[2] For instance, lithiumenolates often contain only Li-O bonds and are not organometallic, while zinc enolates (Reformatsky reagents) contain both Zn-O and Zn-C bonds, and are organometallic in nature.[3]
The metal-carbon bond in organometallic compounds is generally highlycovalent.[1] For highlyelectropositive elements, such as lithium and sodium, the carbon ligand exhibitscarbanionic character, but free carbon-based anions are extremely rare, an example beingcyanide.
a single crystal of a Mn(II) complex, [BnMIm]4[MnBr4]Br2. Its bright green color originates from spin-forbidden d-d transitions
As in other areas of chemistry,electron counting is useful for organizing organometallic chemistry. The18-electron rule is helpful in predicting the stabilities of organometallic complexes, for examplemetal carbonyls andmetal hydrides. The 18e rule has two representative electron counting models, ionic and neutral (also known as covalent) ligand models, respectively.[7] Thehapticity of a metal-ligand complex, can influence the electron count.[7]Hapticity (η, lowercase Greek eta), describes the number of contiguous ligands coordinated to a metal.[7] For example,ferrocene, [(η5-C5H5)2Fe], has twocyclopentadienyl ligands giving a hapticity of 5, where all five carbon atoms of the C5H5 ligand bond equally and contribute one electron to the iron center. Ligands that bind non-contiguous atoms are denoted the Greek letter kappa, κ.[7]Chelating κ2-acetate is an example. Thecovalent bond classification method identifies three classes of ligands, X,L, and Z; which are based on the electron donating interactions of the ligand. Many organometallic compounds do not follow the 18e rule. The metal atoms in organometallic compounds are frequently described by theird electron count andoxidation state. These concepts can be used to help predict their reactivity and preferredgeometry. Chemical bonding and reactivity in organometallic compounds is often discussed from the perspective of theisolobal principle.
Due to their high reactivity towards oxygen and moisture, organometallic compounds often must be handled usingair-free techniques. Air-free handling of organometallic compounds typically requires the use of laboratory apparatuses such as aglovebox orSchlenk line.[1]
Most processes involving hydrogen rely on metal-based catalysts. Whereas bulkhydrogenations (e.g., margarine production) rely on heterogeneous catalysts, for the production of fine chemicals such hydrogenations rely on soluble (homogenous) organometallic complexes or involve organometallic intermediates.[18] Organometallic complexes allow these hydrogenations to be effected asymmetrically.
The synthesis of many organic molecules are facilitated by organometallic complexes.Sigma-bond metathesis is a synthetic method for forming new carbon-carbonsigma bonds. Sigma-bond metathesis is typically used with early transition-metal complexes that are in their highest oxidation state.[19] Using transition-metals that are in their highest oxidation state prevents other reactions from occurring, such asoxidative addition. In addition to sigma-bond metathesis,olefin metathesis is used to synthesize various carbon-carbonpi bonds. Neither sigma-bond metathesis or olefin metathesis change the oxidation state of the metal.[20][21] Many other methods are used to form new carbon-carbon bonds, includingbeta-hydride elimination andinsertion reactions.
Natural and contaminant organometallic compounds are found in the environment. Some that are remnants of human use, such asorganolead andorganomercury compounds, are toxicity hazards.Tetraethyllead was prepared for use as agasoline additive but has fallen into disuse because of lead's toxicity. Its replacements are other organometallic compounds, such asferrocene andmethylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).[26] Theorganoarsenic compound roxarsone is a controversial animal feed additive. In 2006, approximately one million kilograms of it were produced in the U.S alone.[27]Organotin compounds were once widely used inanti-fouling paints but have since been banned due to environmental concerns.[28]
^abcdCrabtree, Robert H. (2014).The organometallic chemistry of the transition metals (6 ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey. pp. 43, 44, 205.ISBN978-1-118-78824-0.OCLC863383849.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Nelson, Ryan C.; Miller, Jeffrey T. (2012). "An introduction to X-ray absorption spectroscopy and its in situ application to organometallic compounds and homogeneous catalysts".Catal. Sci. Technol.2 (3):461–470.doi:10.1039/C2CY00343K.
^Magano, Javier; Dunetz, Joshua R. (9 March 2011). "Large-Scale Applications of Transition Metal-Catalyzed Couplings for the Synthesis of Pharmaceuticals".Chemical Reviews.111 (3):2177–2250.doi:10.1021/cr100346g.PMID21391570.
Clayden, Jonathan; Greeves, Nick; Warren, Stuart (2012).Organic Chemistry. OUP Oxford.ISBN978-0-19-927029-3.
Crabtree, Robert H. (2009).The Organometallic Chemistry of the Transition Metals. John Wiley & Sons.ISBN978-0-470-25762-3.
Elschenbroich, Christoph (2016).Organometallics. John Wiley & Sons.ISBN978-3-527-80514-3.
Gupta, B. D; Elias, A J (2013).Basic Organometallic Chemistry: Concepts, Syntheses, and Applications of Transition Metals. Hyderabad: Universities Press.ISBN978-81-7371-709-3.OCLC903314566.