Organometallic chemistry
![n-Butyllithium, an organometallic compound. Four lithium atoms (in purple) form a tetrahedron, with four butyl groups attached to the faces (carbon is black, hydrogen is white).](/Images/godic/202501/27/N-butyllithium-tetramer-3D-balls0352.png")
Organometallic chemistry is the study of chemical compounds containing at least one bond between a carbon atom of an organic compound and a metal. Some non-carbon compounds such as metal phosphine complexes have "honorary" status as organometallic compounds because their chemical bonding is similar to that found in metal carbonyls. Organometallic chemistry combines aspects of inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry. Organometallic compounds are widely used in homogeneous catalysis.