Complexes of organoaluminium compounds. Part V. Some phosphorus derivatives of triethylaluminium

Abstract

Some phosphine complexes of triethylaluminium are described. The adduct Me₃P,AlEt₃ is decomposed by methyl iodide and reacts stepwise with HCl to give Me₃P,AlCl₃. Unless great care is taken to exclude impurities, the adduct (MeO)₃, P,AlEt₃ isomerises readily to (MeO)₂MePO,AlEt₃. Displacement reactions establish the following order of decreasing base strength towards triethylaluminium: Me₃N > Me₃P > (MeO)₃PO, (MeO)₂MePO, (MeO)MePhPO > Me₂O > (MeO)₃P, (MeO)₂PhP. Dimethylphosphidodiethylaluminium, Et₂AlPMe₂, is trimeric in freezing benzene. It does not react with Me₃N, Me₃P, or Me₂PH, but reacts quantitatively under mild conditions with dimethylamine to give the dimer (Et₂AlNMe₂)₂. The n.m.r. spectra of the compounds are discussed.