2 Alkali and alkaline-earth metals

Abstract

Highlights this year include the isolation of a new octameric form of LiOBu^t, a new form of BaCp₂, the first alkyllithium compound with a trigonal carbanion, the first primary amide of a heavy alkaline earth metal, the first positive identification of an encapsulated hydride in a Main Group cluster using neutron diffraction and an amazing compound which contains the first potassium–ferrocene bond and is the first mixed π-metallocene–π-arene complex of an alkali metal.