Study of the reactions between titanium tetrachloride and ethylaluminium compounds in hydrocarbon solution: II. Gaseous reaction products

Gaseous reaction products from the systems AlEt3/TiCl4, AlEt2Cl/TiCl4 and AlEtCl2/TiCl4 in isooctane solution at 80°C have been studied. A set of reactions explaining the formation of the observed products H2, C2H6, C2H5Cl, n‐C4H10 and n‐C6H14 is given. It is possible to account nearly quantitatively for the conversion of the ethyl groups and for the extent of reduction of TiCl4. It appeared that the formation of ethane is partly due to dis‐proportionation of ethyl groups, and partly to ethyl groups abstracting hydrogen from the isooctane. In the system AlMe3/TiCl4 the methyl groups quantitatively react in the latter way to form CH4. The isooctane to a small extent decomposes into isobutane and isobutene or into isopentane and propene. It is supposed that the brown precipitates formed in the reduction of TiCl4 act as catalysts for this decomposition.