= Metalation
<Metalation> introduces a <metal> into a <molecule> or replaces an attached <atom> or group with a <metal>-containing connection. In <organometallic chemistry>, the term often refers to forming a <carbon>–<metal> <chemical bond>, for example by replacing a <carbon>-bound <hydrogen>.
The word describes the transformation, while the mechanism can involve proton transfer, <metal> insertion or other pathways. A metalated <carbon> centre may act as a <nucleophile> in a subsequent bond-forming reaction. Which site is metalated depends on acidity, coordination and kinetics, so the most acidic isolated bond need not uniquely predict the product under every reaction condition.
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