Which of the following does not have a metal-carbon bond :-
A
$C_2H_5MgBr$
B
$K[Pt(C_2H_4)Cl_3]$
C
$Ni(CO)_4$
D
$Al(OC_2H_5)_3$
The answer is D.
Solution
An organometallic compound contains at least one direct metal-carbon bond. $C_2H_5MgBr$ (Grignard reagent): the ethyl group is attached directly to Mg, so there is a Mg–C bond. $K[Pt(C_2H_4)Cl_3]$ (Zeise's salt): ethylene is bonded to Pt through its $\pi$ electrons, so Pt–C bonding is present. $Ni(CO)_4$ (nickel tetracarbonyl): each CO is bonded to Ni through carbon, so there are Ni–C bonds. $Al(OC_2H_5)_3$ (aluminium ethoxide): each ethyl group is attached to oxygen, and oxygen is attached to Al. The linkage is Al–O–C, so there is no direct Al–C bond. So aluminium ethoxide, $Al(OC_2H_5)_3$, does not have a metal-carbon bond.
ConceptIdentifying metal-carbon bonds
Organometallic Compounds in past papers
2 questions from this chapter have appeared across 2 exam years.