Organoelement chemistry: promising growth areas and challenges

The chemistry of organoelement compounds is now one of the most rapidly developing fields of research, regarding both fundamental science and solution of applied problems. This review covers a variety of classes of organoelement compounds, ranging from molecules with highly labile carbon-element bonds to compounds with stable bonds that form the basis of novel structural materials and demonstrates their role in scientific research and industrial production. The use of Grignard reagents in modern organic synthesis and application of catalytic cyclomagnesiation and cycloalumination reactions for the preparation of difficult-to-access metallacycles are considered. The electron transfer processes in redox-active derivatives of Group 14 elements and the role of radical ions in these processes are discussed. Considerable attention is paid to organometallic compounds, first of all, as catalysts; the dynamic nature of catalysis with these compounds is noted. Unusual strained metallacycles of high thermal stability, zirconacyclocumulenes, which also exhibit catalytic activity, are described. Complexes with redox-active ligands that substantially affect the reactivity of the metal centre and directly participate in reactions with various substrates as well as organometallic compounds of lanthanides are considered. Modern environmentally benign methods for the synthesis of organosilicon compounds and production of unique materials based on them are discussed. Particular Sections are devoted to organophosphorus compounds, including those exhibiting therapeutic properties and possessing unusual optical characteristics, and organic chalcogen compounds, which find use as ligands and biologically active molecules.