Until recently the low-coordinate compounds of the heavier elements of group 14 were known only as transient, unstable species which were difficult to isolate. However recent developments have led to the stabilisation of these compounds and today heavier group 14 element cations, radicals, anions, carbene analogues, alkene and alkyne analogues and aromatics have all been prepared as highly reactive, stable, fully characterizable and readily available organometallic reagents. Organometallic...