This chapter provides a non-critical overview of research advances involving the elements of Groups 1 and 2 during the calendar year 2009. As was the case in previous years, coverage will concentrate upon topics centred around the synthesis, structures and applications of coordination compounds of these elements. This self-imposed restriction will necessarily result in the omission of numerous advances in other branches of chemistry and, for this, the author wishes to apologise in advance.
HighlightsConcerns over energy supply and storage have resulted in enhanced interest in the application of s-block compounds, either as components of MOF structures or in the synthesis of amidoborane derivatives, as hydrogen storage media. [10][11][12]83,[124][125][126] The study of lower oxidation state alkaline earth [M(I)] species has also gathered momentum with reports of further examples of Mg-Mg bonded species and their reactivity, [129][130][131][132] as well as a unique Ca(I) complex. 141 The application of Group 2 complexes in molecular catalysis has also continued to attract intense international attention. 105,152,[175][176][177][178][179][180][181][182][183]