1. Basic Definition
- Organometallic Compounds: Contain at least one direct bond between a metal and a carbon atom of an organic group (e.g., CH₃–MgBr, Fe(C₅H₅)₂).
- Inorganic Compounds: Do not necessarily contain carbon–metal bonds. They include salts, oxides, minerals, acids, bases, and coordination compounds (e.g., NaCl, FeCl₃, CuSO₄).
2. Presence of Organic Groups
- Organometallic: Always have organic groups (alkyl, aryl, cyclopentadienyl, etc.) bonded to a metal.
- Inorganic: Mostly lack organic groups, though they may have ligands like Cl⁻, OH⁻, NH₃, etc.
3. Type of Bonding
- Organometallic: Feature metal–carbon (M–C) bonds, which can be covalent, ionic, or π-bonded.
- Inorganic: Usually involve metal–nonmetal bonds (ionic or covalent) but rarely direct M–C bonds.
4. Reactivity
- Organometallic: Often highly reactive, especially with air or moisture (e.g., Grignard reagents).
- Inorganic: Generally more stable under normal conditions (e.g., salts like Na₂SO₄).
5. Applications
- Organometallic: Used in catalysis, organic synthesis, polymerization, and biology (e.g., vitamin B₁₂).
- Inorganic: Used in salts, fertilizers, pigments, minerals, structural materials, acids, and bases.
Example Comparison
- Organometallic: CH₃Li (methyl lithium, metal–carbon bond).
- Inorganic: LiCl (lithium chloride, no metal–carbon bond).
In short:
- All organometallics are inorganic in origin but have organic carbon–metal bonds.
- Inorganic compounds are broader and may or may not contain carbon, but rarely form direct M–C bonds.