The oxygen scavenging properties of alkali metal-containing organometallic compounds

Alkali metal-containing organometallic compounds are well known for their oxophilicity and, as a result, reactions utilising them must be carried out under an inert atmosphere with oxygen having to be scrupulously removed from the system if these complexes are to be successfully synthesised, manipulated or employed. Studies will be presented here which investigate the oxophilic nature of alkali metal-containing organometallic species. The route by which oxygen is scavenged from the environment will be considered, as will different effects to be had by varying the oxygen source. Discussion will focus primarily on the metal organo-and inorganooxide and oxide or peroxide coordination complex structural motifs which result from the reaction of oxophilic substrates.