[melstiza]

Anyone know the synthesis mechanism for AlMe3 or AlEt3? I know AlMe3 is quite a bit more expensive than AlEt3, and the mechanism reveals this. Ideas?

[Alberto_Kravina]

Anyone know the synthesis mechanism for AlMe3 or AlEt3?

I don't know exactly, but tetraethyllead is synthetized with a Pb-Na alloy with ethyl chloride.
So maybe it could be syntetized with a Al-Na alloy and (m)ethyl chlroide.(methyl chloride for Al(CH₃)₃ and ethyl chloride for Al(C₂H₅)₃

[limpet chicken]

I would make sure to have a nitrogen or argon cylinder handy, as alkylaluminiums are pyrophoric, and you don't want any reagent going up in your face, least of all a damn expensive one

[Alberto_Kravina]

Yes-absence of water is also a required condition

[acetate]

Synthesis AlMe3 :
6MeCl + 4Al --> 2Me2AlCl + 2MeAlCl2(separate with NaCl creates with MeAlCl2 precipitate --> Na[AlMeCl3] )

Next:

3Me2AlCl + 3Na --> 2AlMe3 + Al +3NaCl

Synthesis AlEt3 :

Al + 1.5H2 + 2AlEt3 --> 3Et2AlH (80-120°C , 100-200bar)

3Et2AlH + 2C2H4 --> 3Et3Al (80-120°C , 1-10bar)

Al + 1.5H2 + 3C2H4 --> Et3Al