Organo-metallic Bodies. Under this term are included a large number of chemical compounds in which organic radicals, such as methyl, , ethyl, , &c., are united to metals. Amongst the earliest obtained of these substances were those derived from the metal zinc. Zinc-methyl, , and zinc-ethyl, , which may be taken as examples of the class, are colourless liquids, heavier than water, which boil at 46° and
118° C. respectively. They take fire spontaneously in contact with air, and burn with the production of a dense white smoke of oxide of zinc. In contact with the skin they give rise to severe wounds which are very difficult to heal. They are decomposed with great energy by water. Substances analogous to these zinc compounds have been prepared, containing cadmium, magnesium, antimony, arsenic, bismuth, tin, aluminium, mercury, lead, sodium, potassium, and some rare metals.
For further information on this subject, see an article by Dr Frankland, in the 13th vol. of the Quarterly Jour. of the Chemical Soc.; also the article on 'Organometallic Bodies' in Watt's Dict. of Chemistry; or any of the larger recent text-books of organic chemistry.