The present survey covers the literature through the end of April in 2009. The progress in the thermodynamic investigation of organometallic substances has been introduced since 1887. The basic concepts, the evaluation ways, the experimental and theoretical research methods of transition metal-ligand bond energies are summarized. The available experimental values of absolute transition metal-ligand σ-bond enthalpies of neutral organometallic complexes from group 3 to 10 are collected completely. In Group 3 and actinides, Sc-H, Sc-C, Th-H, Th-C, Th-N, Th-O, Th-S, Th-Cl, U-H, U-C, U-Si, U-O, U-Cl, U-Br, U-I, Sm-H, Sm-C, Sm-Si, Sm-N, Sm-P, Sm-O, Sm-S, Sm-Cl, Sm-Br and Sm-I bond enthalpies are included. In Group 4, Ti-C, Zr-H, Zr-C, Zr-Si, Zr-N, Zr-O, Zr-Cl, Zr-I and Hf-H, Hf-C bond enthalpies are collected. In Group 5, V-H and Ta-C bond enthalpies are collected. In Group 6, Cr-H, Cr-C, Cr-Si, Cr-N, Cr-Xe, Mo-H, Mo-C, Mo-Si, Mo-N, Mo-P, Mo-Cl, Mo-Br, Mo-I, Mo-Xe, W-H, W-C, W-Si, W-N, W-Ar, W-Kr and W-Xe bond enthalpies are included. In Group 7, Mn-H, Mn-C, Mn-Si, Mn-O, Mn-S, Mn-Cl, Mn-Br, Mn-I, Tc-Cl, Tc-Br, Tc-I, Re-H, Re-C, Re-Cl and Re-Br, Re-I bond enthalpies are collected. From Group 8 to 10, Fe-H, Fe-C, Fe-N, Fe-Ar, Fe-Ke, Fe-Xe, Ru-H, Ru-C, Ru-P, Os-H, Os-C, Co-H, Co-C, Rh-H, Rh-C, Ir-H, Ir-C, Ir-Cl, Ir-Br, Ir-I, Ni-C, Ni-S, Pd-C, Pt-H and Pt-C bond enthalpies are collected. But the data of mean bond dissociation enthalpies are not gathered. In addition, the calculated values of Fe-H, Fe-C, Fe-N, Fe-P, Fe-CO, Fe-NO, Fe-O₂, Fe-B, Fe-Al, Fe-Ga, Fe-In and Fe-Tl bond energies are included. The bond dissociation enthalpies of organometallic fragments and ions are also collected thoroughly.

Key words: organometallic compound, bond energy, bond enthalpy, bond strength