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Compounds that contain a metal-carbon bond, R-M, are known as "organometallic" compounds. Organometallic compounds of Li, Mg (Grignard reagents) are the most important organic reagents. Many other metals have been utilised, for example Na, Cu and Zn.

        Organometallic compounds provide a source of nucleophilic carbon atoms which can react with electrophilic carbon to form a new carbon-carbon bond.  This is very important for the synthesis of complex molecules from simple starting materials.

            The most important reactions are the reactions of organolithiums, RLi, and Grignard reagents, RMgX, with the carbonyl groups in aldehydes, ketones and esters to give alcohols.