Dimethylcalcium is obtained by metathesis reaction of calcium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide and methyllithium in diethyl ether:
A well known organocalcium compound is (Cp)calcium(I). Bis(allyl)calcium was described in 2009. It forms in a metathesis reaction of allylpotassium and calcium iodide as a stable non-pyrophoric off-white powder:
The bonding mode is η. This compound is also reported to give access to an η polymeric (CaCHCHCH) compound.
The compound [(thf)Ca{μ-CH-1,3,5-Ph}Ca(thf)] also described in 2009 is an inverse sandwich compound with two calcium atoms at either side of an arene.
Olefins tethered to cyclopentadienyl ligands have been shown to coordinate to calcium(II), strontium(II), and barium(II):
Organocalcium compounds have been investigated as catalysts.