Methyl complexes

Dimethylmercury is an extremely toxic organomercury compound with the formula (CH3)2Hg. A volatile, flammable, dense and colorless liquid, dimethylmercury is one of the strongest known neurotoxins. Less than 0.1 mL is capable of inducing severe mercury poisoning resulting in death.

thumb|Methylation reaction of mercury under sunlight thumb|class=skin-invert-image|Structures of two main types of complexes formed by methylmercury. X− = anion, L = neutral Lewis base.

Methyllithium is the simplest organolithium reagent, with the empirical formula LiCH3. This s-block organometallic compound adopts an oligomeric structure both in solution and in the solid state. This highly reactive compound, invariably used in solution with an ether as the solvent, is a reagent in organic synthesis as well as organometallic chemistry. Operations involving methyllithium require anhydrous conditions, because the compound is highly reactive towards water. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are also incompatible with MeLi. Methyllithium is usually not prepared, but purchased as a solutio

Trimethylaluminium or TMA is one of the simplest examples of an organoaluminium compound. Despite its name it has the formula (abbreviated as , where Me stands for methyl), as it exists as a dimer. This colorless liquid is pyrophoric. It is an industrially important compound, closely related to triethylaluminium.

Dimethylzinc, also known as zinc methyl, DMZ, or DMZn, is a toxic organozinc compound with the chemical formula . It belongs to the large series of similar compounds such as diethylzinc.

chemical compound

Tetramethyltin is an organometallic compound with the formula (CH3)4Sn. This liquid, one of the simplest organotin compounds, is useful for transition-metal mediated conversion of acid chlorides to methyl ketones and aryl halides to aryl methyl ketones. It is volatile and toxic, so care should be taken when using it in the laboratory.

Trimethylgallium, often abbreviated to TMG or TMGa, is the organogallium compound with the formula Ga(CH3)3. It is a colorless, pyrophoric liquid. Unlike trimethylaluminium, TMG adopts a monomeric structure. When examined in detail, the monomeric units are clearly linked by multiple weak Ga---C interactions, reminiscent of the situation for trimethylindium.

Tetramethyllead, also called tetra methyllead and lead tetramethyl, is a chemical compound used as an antiknock additive for gasoline. It is a methyl radical synthon. Its use in gasoline is being phased out for environmental considerations.

chemical compound

Hexamethyltungsten is the chemical compound W(CH3)6 also written WMe6. Classified as a transition metal alkyl complex, hexamethyltungsten is an air-sensitive, red, crystalline solid at room temperature; however, it is extremely volatile and sublimes at −30 °C. Owing to its six methyl groups it is extremely soluble in petroleum, aromatic hydrocarbons, ethers, carbon disulfide, and carbon tetrachloride.

Trimethylindium, often abbreviated to TMI or TMIn, is the organoindium compound with the formula In(CH3)3. It is a colorless, pyrophoric solid. Unlike trimethylaluminium, but akin to trimethylgallium, TMI is monomeric.

chemical compound

Dimethylcadmium is the organocadmium compound with the formula . It is a colorless, highly toxic liquid that fumes in air. It is a linear molecule with C-Cd bond lengths of 213 pm. The compound finds limited use as a reagent in organic synthesis and in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). It has also been used in the synthesis of cadmium selenide nanoparticles, although efforts have been made to replace it in this capacity due to its toxicity.

Pentamethylbismuth (or pentamethylbismuthorane) is an organometalllic compound containing five methyl groups bound to a bismuth atom with formula Bi(CH3)5. It is an example of a hypervalent compound. The molecular shape is trigonal bipyramid.