Solution chemistry dissolved organic carbon

Almost all of the reactions that the practicing inotganic chemist observes in the laboratory take place in solution. Although water is the best-known solvent, it is not the only one of importance to the chemist. The organic chemist often uses nonpolar solvents sud) as carbon tetrachloride and benzene to dissolve nonpolar compounds. These are also of interest to Ihe inoiganic chemist and, in addition, polar solvents such as liquid ammonia, sulfuric acid, glacial acetic acid, sulfur dioxide, and various nonmctal halides have been studied extensively. The study of solution chemistry is intimately connected with acid-base theory, and the separation of this material into a separate chapter is merely a matter of convenience. For example, nonaqueous solvents are often interpreted in terms of the solvent system concept, the formation of solvates involve acid-base interactions, and even redox reactions may be included within the (Jsanovich definition of acid-base reactions. 

The carbon-metal bond in such compounds can range from an almost completely ionic bond to one that is predominantly covalent. Benzyl-sodium, for example, may be dissolved in ether to yield a conducting solution on the other hand, the lithium-carbon bond in the colorless ethyliithium is quite nonpolar. The chemistry of such compounds, be they ionic or covalent, is best understood by considering them as sources of the highly basic carbanions that would be formed by removal of the metal ion thus the chemistry of benzylsodium is the chemistry of the CeH CH ion, whereas the chemistry of ethyliithium is the chemistry of the ethide ion, C2H Such ions will attack acidic hydrogens to form the parent hydrocarbons, will attack the more positive end of a double bond, and can carry out a number of nucleophilic displacements these reactions are discussed in texts on organic chemistry. 

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