A series of critical reviews and perspectives focussing on specific
aspects of organometallic chemistry interfacing with other fields of
study are provided. For this volume, the critical reviews cover topics
such as the activation of "inert" carbon-hydrogen bonds, ligand design
and organometallic radical species. For example, Charlie O'Hara
discusses how mixed-metal compounds may perform the highly selective
activation of C-H bonds and, in particular, how synergic relationships
between various metals are crucial to this approach. The chemistry of a
remarkable series of air-stable chiral primary phosphine ligands is
discussed in some depth by Rachel Hiney, Arne Ficks, Helge M3ller-Bunz,
Declan Gilheany and Lee Higham. This article focuses on the preparation
of these ligands and also how they may be applied in various catalytic
applications. Bas De Bruin reports on how ligand radical reactivity can
be employed in synthetic organometallic chemistry and catalysis to
achieve selectivity in radical-type transformations. As well as
highlighting ligand-centered radical transformations in open-shell
transition metals, an overview of the catalytic mechanism of
Co(II)-catalysed olefin cyclopropanation is given, showing that
enzyme-like cooperative metal-ligand-radical reactivity is no longer
limited to real enzymes. Valuable and informative comprehensive reviews
in the field of organometallic chemistry are also covered in this
volume. For example, organolithium and organocuprate chemistry are
reviewed by Joanna Haywood and Andrew Wheatley; aspects in Group 2
(Be-Ba) and Group 12 (Zn-Hg) compounds by Robert Less, Rebecca Melen and
Dominic Wright; metal clusters by Mark Humphrey and Marie Cifuentes; and
recent developments in the chemistry of the elements of Group 14 -
focusing on low-coordination number compounds by Richard Layfield. This
volume therefore covers many synthetic and applied aspects of modern
organometallic chemistry which ought to be of interest to inorganic,
organic and applied catalysis fields.
