Know More About Organometallic Compounds

Overview

Chemical compounds known as "organometallic compounds" have at least one bond between a metallic element and an organic molecule's carbon atom. It has been demonstrated that even metalloid elements like silicon, tin, and boron can combine to generate organometallic compounds that are employed in industrial chemical reactions. Organometallic compounds can be used to catalyse processes in which the target molecules are polymers or medicines, increasing the pace of the reactions.

In most cases, the link between the metal atom and the organic compound's carbon is covalent in nature. These compounds are created when metals with relatively high electropositivity (such as sodium and lithium) combine, and the carbon atom that is bonded to the main metal atom has a carbanionic character.

Classification of Organometallic Compounds

Organometallic compounds are categorised into several groups depending on the type of metal-carbon link they include.

1. Organometallic complexes with ionic bonds
2. Organometallic complexes with covalent bonds
3. Organometallic complexes with covalent bonds
4. Organometallic complexes with several centre bonds

Organometallic Complexes with Ionic Bonds

Alkali, alkaline earth metals, Lanthanides, and actinides' organometallic compounds primarily take the form of ionic compounds.

Properties:

• These are colourless solids that resemble salt.
• They are insoluble in non-polar solvents, behave as electrolytes when fused, and are degraded by water to release hydrocarbons.
• These are insoluble in non-polar solvents
• These are hydrolyzed by water and liberate hydrocarbon

Organometallic Complexes with Covalent Bonds

The carbon atom of an organic group and the metal atom share a covalent bond. Such bonds are formed by metals having a low electropositive character. These kinds of compounds are formed by weakly electropositive metal atoms and non-metal atoms. In these compounds, a pair of electrons are shared by a metal atom and a carbon atom to create a -bond.

Example,

(CH3)3SnCl ;( CH3)2SiCl2 ;( C2H5)4 Pb;(CH3)2Zn

Organometallic Complexes with Covalent Bonds

These are mixtures of metals with aromatic ring molecules such as benzene, alkenes, and alkynes. These complexes involve a connection between the metal and the ligand that includes the ligands - electrons. Zeise's salt, ferrocene, and dibenzene chromium are typical examples. These chemicals are also produced by aromatic molecules, acetylene, and ethylene.

Complexes of Organometallic Atoms with many centre bonds

Compounds like Li, Be, Al, etc. have a weakly bound, electron-deficient species present.

Examples include MeLi and Al2Me6.

Properties of Organometallic Compounds

A few properties of organometallic compounds are listed below as short points.

• Frequently, the covalent nature of the link between the metal and the carbon atom is very strong.
• The majority of organometallic compounds are solids, particularly those where the hydrocarbon groups are aromatic or contain rings.
• Lithium and sodium are two highly electropositive metals that form compounds that are extremely volatile and capable of spontaneous combustion.
• Many times, it is discovered that organometallic compounds are harmful to people (especially compounds that are volatile in nature).
• These compounds, especially those made from highly electropositive metals, have the ability to function as reducing agents.

Applications

The use of organometallic compounds in chemistry is quite diverse. The following are a few of them:

• Organometallic compounds are employed as homogeneous catalysts in a few commercial chemical processes.
• Both commercial and academic chemical reactions use these substances as stoichiometric reagents.
• Some semiconductors, which need materials like trimethylgallium, trimethylaluminum, trimethylindium, and trimethyl antimony, are also made with these substances.
• Additionally, they are employed in the manufacturing of light-emitting diodes (or LEDs).
• These substances are used in bulk hydrogenation procedures like margarine manufacture.
• These substances are employed in the production of various organic molecules as reagents and catalysts.

Examples of Organometallic Compounds

Organometallic compounds are crucial to the development of science. They are commonly employed in laboratories and the chemical industry and have a variety of purposes. For the benefit of the students, the following are some illustrations of organometallic compounds:

• Organizinc
• Organ cadmium
• Organ lithium
• Organ magnesium
• Lead
• Tin
• Organoboro

Organic Chemistry: An Indian Journal: Its coverage of organic chemistry includes such areas as bio-organic chemistry, hydrocarbons, metal-organic compounds, physical chemistry, drug chemistry, organic reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, organic industrial chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, heterocyclic chemistry, and medicinal chemistry. We are also publishing a number of articles that are pertinent to these topics.