Alkali metals covalent compounds

Metal -nonmetal compounds and ammonium compounds (containing the NH4 group within a formula) are ionic. Other compounds are covalent, except that acids are ionized, some completely, when dissolved in water. The acids are named with a special system of their own, but pure binary acids can be named similarly to alkali metal-nonmetal compounds. 

The alkali metal allyl compounds show splittings that are one order of magnitude smaller. No temperature-dependence was reported or is evident from comparison of different investigations. It was concluded that the allyl magnesium bromide has a o-covalent unsymmetrical structure with a monohapto ligand-metal interaction. A fast, reversible equilibrium (33) interconverts structure [26a] and its tautomeric structure [26b]. In contrast the alkali metal allyl compounds can be described as more or less symmetric 7t-complexes [26c] with trihapto interaction between metal and ligand. 

Metallic Antimonides. Numerous binary compounds of antimony with metallic elements are known. The most important of these are indium antimonide [1312-41 -0] InSb, gallium antimonide [12064-03-8] GaSb, and aluminum antimonide [25152-52-7] AlSb, which find extensive use as semiconductors. The alkali metal antimonides, such as lithium antimonide [12057-30-6] and sodium antimonide [12058-86-5] do not consist of simple ions. Rather, there is appreciable covalent bonding between the alkali metal and the Sb as well as between pairs of Na atoms. These compounds are useful for the preparation of organoantimony compounds, such as trimethylstibine [594-10-5] (CH2)2Sb, by reaction with an organohalogen compound. 

Lewis acids are defined as molecules that act as electron-pair acceptors. The proton is an important special case, but many other species can play an important role in the catalysis of organic reactions. The most important in organic reactions are metal cations and covalent compounds of metals. Metal cations that play prominent roles as catalysts include the alkali-metal monocations Li+, Na+, K+, Cs+, and Rb+, divalent ions such as Mg +, Ca +, and Zn, marry of the transition-metal cations, and certain lanthanides. The most commonly employed of the covalent compounds include boron trifluoride, aluminum chloride, titanium tetrachloride, and tin tetrachloride. Various other derivatives of boron, aluminum, and titanium also are employed as Lewis acid catalysts. 

Some of the alkali metal-group 15 element systems give compounds of stoichiometry ME. Of these, LiBi and NaBi have typical alloy stmc-tures and are superconductors below 2.47 K and 2.22 K respectively. Others, like LiAs, NaSb and KSb, have parallel infinite spirals of As or Sb atoms, and it is tempting to formulate them as M+ (E )" in which the (E )" spirals are iso-electronic with those of covalently catenated Se and Te (p. 752) however, their metallic lustre and electrical conductivity indicate at least some metallic bonding. Within the spiral chains As-As is 246 pm (cf. 252 pm in the element) and Sb-Sb is 285 pm (cf. 291 pm in the element). 

The elements show increasing metallic character down the group (Table 14.6). Carbon has definite nonmetallic properties it forms covalent compounds with nonmetals and ionic compounds with metals. The oxides of carbon and silicon are acidic. Germanium is a typical metalloid in that it exhibits metallic or nonmetallic properties according to the other element present in the compound. Tin and, even more so, lead have definite metallic properties. However, even though tin is classified as a metal, it is not far from the metalloids in the periodic table, and it does have some amphoteric properties. For example, tin reacts with both hot concentrated hydrochloric acid and hot alkali ... 

The reduction of the stannyl radical (t-Bu2MeSi)3Sn with alkali metals produces a variety of structural modifications depending on the solvent used (Scheme 2.55). Thus, in nonpolar heptane, a dimeric stannyllithium species [58c Li ]2 (E = Sn) was formed, whereas in more polar benzene, the monomeric pyramidal structure 58c [Ti -Li (C6H5)] was produced. In the latter compound the Li+ ion was covalently bonded to the anionic Sn atom being at the same time n -coordinated to the benzene ring. A similar monomeric pyramidal CIP 58c [Li (thf)2] was prepared by reduction in polar THE the addition of [2.2.2]cryptand to this compound resulted in the isolation of the free stannyl anion 58c K+([2.2.2]cryptand), in which the ion lacked its bonding to the Sn atom. ... 

The allyl alkali-metal compounds give 2 line C-13 nmr spectra. The terminal positions are equivalent either because of rapid equilibrium between two covalent structures, or because the structure is a delocalized symmetrical ion. The chemical shifts and C-C coupling constants are recorded in table I. Reasonable agreement with literature 6 values are found (8, 2). 

Highlights in the chemistry of cyclopentadienyl compounds have been reviewed.65 Trends in the metallation energies of the gas-phase cyclopentadienyl and methyl compounds of the alkali metals have been studied by ab initio pseudopotential calculations. Whereas there is a smooth increase in polarity of M-(C5H5) bonds from Li to Cs, lithium appears to be less electronegative than sodium in methyl derivatives. The difference between C5H5 and CH3 derivatives is attributed to differences in covalent contributions to the M-C bonds. In solution or in the solid state these trends may be masked by the effects of solvation or crystal packing.66 The interaction between the alkali metal ions Li+-K+ and benzene has also been discussed.67... 

The alkali metals share many common features, yet differences in size, atomic number, ionization potential, and solvation energy leads to each element maintaining individual chemical characteristics. Among K, Na, and Li compounds, potassium compounds are more ionic and more nucleophilic. Potassium ions form loose or solvent-separated ion pairs with counteranions in polar solvents. Large potassium cations tend to stabilize delocalized (soft) anions in transition states. In contrast, lithium compounds are more covalent, more soluble in nonpolar solvents, usually existing as aggregates (tetramers and hexamers) in the form of tight ion pairs. Small lithium cations stabilize localized (hard) counteranions (see Lithium and lithium compounds). Sodium chemistry is intermediate between that of potassium and lithium (see Sodium and sodium alloys). 

Essentially covalent compounds such as the lithium alkyls. Derivatives of any alkali metal where charge delocalization can occur over several carbon atoms (e. g. triphenylmethyl-sodium, lithium-benzyl) were also considered to be largely ionic in constitution. 

Mechanisms of the above type are very plausible but two points should be considered. Firstly, all these transition states are equally plausible for butadiene and isoprene whereas butadiene gives a mixed cis-trans product with lithium alkyls in hydrocarbons. Secondly, it is not certain that these carbon-lithium bonds are essentially covalent in hydrocarbons. There is evidence that the lithium compounds of conjugated monomers still exist as charge delocalized ion-pairs in the associated state in hydrocarbons (48). The characteristic ultra-violet absorption band attributable to this kind of anion pair persists almost unchanged in different solvents and alkali metals. The monomeric form active in the propagation step could possibly contain a more covalent carbon-lithium bond but we cannot be sure of this. 

---