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Chapter 14: Organometallic Compounds |  |
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Chapter 14: Organometallic Compounds | |
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Compounds that contain a metal-carbon bond, R-M, are known as
"organometallic" compounds.
Organometallic compounds of Li, Mg (Grignard reagents) are amongst
some of the most important organic reagents.
Many other metals have been utilised, for example Na, Cu and Zn.
Organometallic compounds provide a source of nucleophilic carbon atoms which react with electrophilic carbon and so form a new carbon-carbon bond. This is very important for the synthesis of complex molecules from simple starting materials.
To rationalise the general reactivity of organometallics it is convenient to view them as ionic, so R-M = R-M+
The most important reactions is this chapter are the reactions of organolithiums, RLi, and Grignard reagents, RMgX, with the carbonyl groups in aldehydes, ketones and esters to give alcohols. However we will also look at some useful reactions involving Cu, Zn and Hg (mercury).
Organometallic Compounds
Preparations of Organometallic Reagents
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