Recent progress in beryllium organometallic chemistry

Abstract

Beryllium possesses a unique amalgamation of characteristics, its electronegativity included, that not only make it a vital component in a wide range of technical sectors and consumer industries, but also make it an interesting candidate for forming covalently bonded compounds. However, the extremely toxic nature of beryllium, which can cause chronic beryllium disease, has limited the exploration of its chemistry, making beryllium one of the least studied (non-radioactive) elements. The development of selective chelating ligands, sterically encumbered substituents and, moreover, the boom of N-heterocyclic carbenes in organometallic chemistry and main group chemistry has revived the interest in beryllium chemistry. Therefore, some quite remarkable progress in the coordination and organometallic chemistry of beryllium has been made in the last two decades. For example, low oxidation state beryllium compounds, antiaromatic/aromatic beryllium compounds, where beryllium is involved in π-electron delocalization, and the isolation of beryllium-beryllium bonded species have all been achieved. This article provides an oversight over the recent developments in the organometallic chemistry of beryllium. © 2024 The Royal Society of Chemistry.