Organometallic Chemistry
Organometallic chemistry is defined as the scientific study of organometallic compounds, which are chemical compounds with at least one chemical bonding between a carbon atom of an organic molecule and a metal, such as alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metals, as well as metalloids such as boron, silicon, and selenium. Aside from connections to organyl fragments or molecules, organometallic linkages to 'inorganic' carbon, such as carbon monoxide (metal carbonyls), cyanide, or carbide, are also common. Organometallic compounds are widely used as stoichiometric catalysts in research and industrial chemical reactions, as well as in the role of catalysts to increase the rates of such reactions (e.g., in homogeneous catalysis), with target molecules including polymers, pharmaceuticals, and a wide range of other practical products.