3
$\begingroup$

[Note- I've already seen this question Why do Magnesium and Lithium form *covalent* organometallic compounds? as user Mithoron was kind enough to point out, but the problem that I face is different though. MY problem here, is that if I'm asked whether Grignard reagents are a)Ionic compounds of electropositive metals or are they b) Sigma bonded Complexes what should my answer be?]

My school textbook defines Organometallics (A section under the chapter 'Coordination Chemistry') as "Compounds where the metal atom is directly linked to a carbon atom(s) " , and then it proceeded to give the following classes of Organometallics:

1) Ionic Compounds of Electropositive Metals

Includes compounds like Alkyl Sodium, Phenyl Lithium and Alkyl Magnesium Halides (Grignard Reagents)

2) Sigma Bonded Complexes

Includes the likes of Trimethyl Aluminium

3) Pi Bonded Complexes

Includes Zeise's salt and Ferrocene

4) Sigma and Pi Bonded Complexes

Includes transition metal carbonyls like Ni[(CO)_4]

Now the thing is, some other (relatively unheard of) reference material places Grignard reagents under Sigma bonded complexes. Now I'm not sure which one's right, or if both are right, or if both of them are wrong, since in my brain the R-Mg bond in the grignard reagents are polar covalent, i.e- smack in the middle, between covalent and ionic bonding.

So going by convention (if there even is a convention for something like this), I reiterate my question, which one's right?

[Additionally if there are more classes of Organometallic compounds that I haven't mentioned, I'd really appreciate it if someone would add on to it...]

Thanks!

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/429/… $\endgroup$
    – Mithoron
    Commented Aug 22, 2016 at 17:49
  • $\begingroup$ @Mithoron I've already seen that question, but MY problem here, is that if I'm asked whether Grignard reagents are a)Ionic compounds of electropositive metals or are they b) Sigma bonded Complexes what should my answer be? $\endgroup$
    – paracetamol
    Commented Aug 22, 2016 at 18:04
  • $\begingroup$ related chemistry.stackexchange.com/a/31646/9961 $\endgroup$
    – Mithoron
    Commented Aug 22, 2016 at 21:01
  • $\begingroup$ Sigh Exact bonding depends on organic group, also you can have ether complexes. I would rather but them in a bag with organoaluminum then organosodium, but why do you really care? $\endgroup$
    – Mithoron
    Commented Aug 22, 2016 at 21:07

0

Reset to default

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.