Group 13 Chemistry Iii

The present issue of Structure and Bonding is dedicated to applied group 13 chemistry, particularly for the elements boron and aluminum, and to a lesser degree gallium and indium. Although boron is a trace element (0.01 g kg 1) in the earth's crust, it has been concentrated in a few locations by geochemical processes and is relatively easy to mine as borax. Aluminum, on the other hand, is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust (82 g kg 1) and dispersed widely throughout the globe. Thus, boron and aluminum are readily available and their associated products or compounds are usually inexpensive and thereby easy to commercialize. The chapters were chosen to encompass both applied and fundamental aspects of their subiects. The first chapter 'Borates in Industrial Use' provides a complete, and perhaps, quintessential, coverage of compounds containing boron oxygen bonds. In the chapter Schubert explains the close relationship between the basic properties of the boron compounds and their associated uses. The remaining four chapters focus, to some degree, on aluminum. Since a great deal of literature exists in this area, these chapters are more focused on areas of emerging utility, and contain a great deal of fundamental information. Uhl's contribution in Chapter 2 provides basic synthesis and structural information for aluminum and gallium hydrazides. These types of compounds are being explored as potential molecular precursors to metal nitrides such as the important blue green laser material gallium nitride.

Over the last decade our view of chemistry has evolved substantially. Whereas individual researchers previously focused on specific areas of chemistry, such as inorganic, organic, etc. we now take a more holistic approach. Effective and efficient research projects now incorporate whatever aspects of the chemistry subdisciplines that are needed to complete the intended work. The main group elements have always been used in this manner. Depending on the use of the elements, the resulting work can be described under any heading of chemistry. The group 13 elements have been special in this regard due to the very unique characters of the constituent elements. Thus, there is a dramatic change in the properties of the elements when proceeding through the series, B, A1, Ga, In, T1. This difference is one of the main reasons why these elements have seen, and continue to see, such widespread usage in such disparate applications as organic synthesis, electronic and structural materials, and catalysis, to name but a few.

The last two decades have seen a renaissance in interest in the chemistry of the main group elements. In particular research on the metals of group 13 (aluminium, gallium, indium and thallium) has led to the synthesis and isolation of some very novel and unusual molecules, with implications for organometallic synthesis, new materials development, and with biological, medical and, environmental relevance. The Group 13 Metals Aluminium, Gallium, Indium and Thallium aims to cover new facts, developments and applications in the context of more general patterns of physical and chemical behaviour. Particular attention is paid to the main growth areas, including the chemistry of lower formal oxidation states, cluster chemistry, the investigation of solid oxides and hydroxides, advances in the formation of III-V and related compounds, the biological significance of Group 13 metal complexes, and the growing importance of the metals and their compounds in the mediation of organic reactions. Chapters cover: general features of the group 13 elements group 13 metals in the +3 oxidation state: simple inorganic compounds formal oxidation state +3: organometallic chemistry formal oxidation state +2: metal-metal bonded vs. mononuclear derivatives group 13 metals in the +1 oxidation state mixed or intermediate valence group 13 metal compounds aluminium and gallium clusters: metalloid clusters and their relation to the bulk phases, to naked clusters, and to nanoscaled materials simple and mixed metal oxides and hydroxides: solids with extended structures of different dimensionalities and porosities coordination and solution chemistry of the metals: biological, medical and, environmental relevance III-V and related semiconductor materials group 13 metal-mediated organic reactions The Group 13 Metals Aluminium, Gallium, Indium and Thallium provides a detailed, wide-ranging, and up-to-date review of the chemistry of this important group of metals. It will find a place on the bookshelves of practitioners, researchers and students working in inorganic, organometallic, and materials chemistry.

Aluminum, bound almost exclusively to oxygen in various combinations, is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust and, therefore, of great commercial potential. Once methods were developed (in the 1880's) to free useable quantities of the element from oxygen, applications for the element began developing rapidly. This growth has resulted in the ubiquity of the metal in today's world. Therefore it can be found intentionally introduced in many products in direct contact with human beings. It is commonly known that soluble forms of aluminum aretoxic to living organisms. However, aluminum is not known to be bioavailable under everyday conditions. In fact, the solubility product of common aluminum compounds, such as AI(OH)3 is so low as to make it essentially unavailable. This volume of Structure and Bonding seeks to provide in one source, a resource where the basic science related to aluminum toxicity may be obtained. It should be stressed that this volume is not intended to be a warning to avoid contact with aluminum. Living organisms have adequate defenses to prevent aluminum toxicity under normal conditions. Rather the volume was created to simply provide an understanding of the biological effects of aluminum. As such, the present volume should be considered in the context of the companion volumes in this three part series of Structure and Bonding. The first volume was devoted to fundamental developments in group 13 chemistry.

Over the last decade our view of chemistry has evolved substantially. Whereas individual researchers previously focused on specific areas of chemistry, such as inorganic, organic, etc. we now take a more holistic approach. Effective and efficient research projects now incorporate whatever aspects of the chemistry subdisciplines that are needed to complete the intended work. The main group elements have always been used in this manner. Depending on the use of the elements, the resulting work can be described under any heading of chemistry. The group 13 elements have been special in this regard due to the very unique characters of the constituent elements. Thus, there is a dramatic change in the properties of the elements when proceeding through the series, B, A1, Ga, In, T1. This difference is one of the main reasons why these elements have seen, and continue to see, such widespread usage in such disparate applications as organic synthesis, electronic and structural materials, and catalysis, to name but a few.

Janusz Lewiński and Andrew E. H. Wheatley: Simple trivalent organoaluminum species: perspectives on structure, bonding and reactivity.- Stephan Schulz: Organoaluminum complexes with bonds to s-block, p-block, d-block, and f-block metal centers.- Samuel Dagorne and Christophe Fliedel: Low valent organoaluminium (+I, +II) species.- Rudolf Wehmschulte: Organoaluminum species in homogeneous polymerization catalysis.- Paul Knochel, Tobias Blümke, Klaus Groll and Yi-Hung Chen: Preparation of Organoalanes for Organic Synthesis.- Yuki Naganawa and Keiji Maruoka: Reactions Triggered by Lewis Acidic Organoaluminum Species.- Usein M. Dzhemilev and Vladimir A. D'yakonov: Hydro-, Carbo- and Cycloalumination of Unsaturated Compounds.- Andreas Kolb and Paultheo von Zezschwitz: Organoaluminum Couplings to Carbonyls, Imines and Halides.- Oscar Pàmies and Montserrat Diéguez: Conjugate Addition of Organoaluminum Species to Michael Acceptors and Related Processes.

Organometallic chemistry is an interdisciplinary science which continues to grow at a rapid pace. Although there is continued interest in synthetic and structural studies the last decade has seen a growing interest in the potential of organometallic chemistry to provide answers to problems in catalysis, synthetic organic chemistry and also in the development of new materials. This Specialist Periodical Report aims to reflect these current interests, reviewing progress in theoretical organometallic chemistry, main group chemistry, the lanthanides and all aspects of transition metal chemistry. Volume 31 covers literature published during 2001. Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage in major areas of chemical research. Compiled by teams of leading authorities in the relevant subject areas, the series creates a unique service for the active research chemist, with regular, in-depth accounts of progress in particular fields of chemistry. Subject coverage within different volumes of a given title is similar and publication is on an annual or biennial basis.