The Redistribution Reaction of Ethyl Groups and Chlorine Atoms in the Ethylaluminum Chloride + Ether System

The redistribution reactions of ethyl groups and chlorine atoms in the 2AlEtnCl3−n+ether system were studied by the Raman spectroscopic method. It was found that the reaction of AlEtCl2 with Et2O (molar ratio, 2:1) gave rise to AlEt2Cl and AlCl3·Et2O, although not quantitatively. On the contrary, the reaction of AlEt2Cl with Et2O (molar ratio, 2:1) did not produce any AlEt3 or AlEtCl2·Et2O at all. These and several related observations demonstrate that, by the reaction between AlEtnCl3−n and AlEtmCl3−m·Et2O (n, m=0, 1, 2, 3), AlEt2Cl is preferentially produced as long as there is any possibility of its formation.