Reaction with Group-IA Organometallics

Group-IA organometallics are formed from acidic hydrocarbons with more basic organometallic in acid-base or metallation reactions ... 

Metallations are more useful synthetically when the substrate contains only one reactive site. The syntheses of benzyl-, allyl-, pentadienyl- and more delocalized group-IA organometallics and of group-IA acetylides are best performed by reaction (a). These preparations are not complicated by secondary coupling reactions or by contamination of the reaction mixture with other metals. Metallations of halogen-containing substrates at low T give carbenoids which are difficult to prepare by other routes. 

There is an enormous organometallic chemistry associated with the group IA metals, particularly lithium and sodium. Lithium alkyls can be prepared by the reaction of the metal and an alkyl halide,... 

In this section, we will discuss organometallic derivatives of zinc, cadmium, mercury, and indium. The group IIB and IIIB metals have the d10 electronic configuration in the 2+ and 3+ oxidation states, respectively. Because of the filled d level, the 2+ or 3+ oxidation states are quite stable, and reactions of the organometallics usually do not involve changes in oxidation level. This property makes the reactivity patterns of these organometallics more similar to those of derivatives of the group IA and IIA metals than to those of derivatives of transition metals with vacancies in the d levels. The IIB metals, however, are... 

Because of the wide range of organometallic compounds, a large number of reactions have been employed in their synthesis. A few of the preparative methods for compounds of the Group IA and HA metals were shown in Chapter 7. In this section, some of the types of synthetic reactions will be shown with an emphasis on methods that have general applicability. 

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