Alkaline and alkaline earth metals

Abstract

This chapter provides a non-critical overview of research advances involving the elements of Groups 1 and 2 during the calendar year 2009. As was the case in previous years, coverage will concentrate upon topics centred around the synthesis, structures and applications of coordination compounds of these elements. This self-imposed restriction will necessarily result in the omission of numerous advances in other branches of chemistry and, for this, the author wishes to apologise in advance. HighlightsConcerns over energy supply and storage have resulted in enhanced interest in the application of s-block compounds, either as components of MOF structures or in the synthesis of amidoborane derivatives, as hydrogen storage media. [10][11][12]83,[124][125][126] The study of lower oxidation state alkaline earth [M(I)] species has also gathered momentum with reports of further examples of Mg-Mg bonded species and their reactivity, [129][130][131][132] as well as a unique Ca(I) complex. 141 The application of Group 2 complexes in molecular catalysis has also continued to attract intense international attention. 105,152,[175][176][177][178][179][180][181][182][183]

Alkali Metal Carbatrane Compounds [TismPriBenz]M: Synthesis and Structural Characterization of a Complete Series of Monomeric Alkali Metal Alkyl Compounds

“…Organolithium compounds are, without doubt, an important class of molecules, in large part due to their use as alkyl or aryl transfer reagents in both organic and inorganic chemistry. − By comparison, organometallic compounds of the heavier congeners have received much less attention. − For example, with respect to structurally characterized alkali metal compounds that are listed in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD), while there are approximately 1,000 occurrences of Li–C single bonds, there are fewer than 50 occurrences of Cs–C single bonds . Despite this prominence of organolithium chemistry, however, Mulvey has drawn attention to the chemistry of the heavier congeners, by noting the useful roles that these metals have in a variety of catalytic applications; as such, it is pertinent to develop further the chemistry of the heavier alkali metals.…”