The aluminum alkyl halides are flammable, reactive, and may be spontaneously combustible in air. They are colorless to yellow liquids. Ethylaluminum dichloride:(563-43-9):
The reaction is carried out in a one-liter, three-neck flask equipped with a stirrer, a reflux condenser and a dropping funnel, as well as an inlet tube for dry, oxygen-free nitrogen. The flask is filled with 107 g. of turnings obtained from an alloy of 30% magnesium and 70% aluminum. Small quantities of iodine and ethyl bromide are added. After a short time the halide can be observed to react with the metal. The reaction flask is then immersed in an oil bath and a total of 496 g. of ethyl bromide is added dropwise during 2.5 hours. The flask is then heated to 120-140°C and kept at this temperature for one hour to ensure completion of the reaction. The product is separated from the magnesium bromide by vacuum distillation, using an oil pump, and is redistilled in vacuum (2 mm., 75°C). All operations must be carried out under nitrogen. The yield is 370 g. of A1(C3HS) sBr, contaminated with 2% AlC3H5Br3.
These materials are used as components of olefin polymerization catalysts. The reader is referred to the entry on “Aluminum alkyls” for additional information on this entry. The aluminum alkyl halides parallel very closely the aluminum alkyls
UN3052 Spontaneously combustible. Water reactive releasing large quantities of toxic and deadly hydrogen gas. (Note: this number does not appear in the 49/CFR HazMat tables)
The aluminum alkyl halides are strong reducing agents; they react—possibly violently—with oxidizers (chlorates, nitrates, peroxides, permanganates, perchlorates, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.); contact may cause fires or explosions. Keep away from alkaline materials, strong bases, strong acids, oxoacids, epoxides. These chemicals react violently with nitromethaneEthylaluminum sesquichloride reacts explosively with carbon tetrachloride at room temperature. This chemical reacts violently with water, forming corrosive hydrogen chloride and flammable ethane gas. Diethylaluminum chloride may form an explosive product with chlorine azide.
