The Solid-State Structures of Dimethylzinc and Diethylzinc

Abstract

Good things come to those who wait: More than 160 years after their discovery, we have determined the solid-state structures of the classic organometallic compounds dimethylzinc and diethylzinc by using X-ray crystallography and density functional theory. The study shows that the linear molecules form weak intermolecular interactions with small covalent contributions. Me₂Zn undergoes a solid–solid phase transition at 180 K (see picture).