Kinetics of reaction of metal alkyl compounds with alkenes. Part 2.—Aluminium triethyl

Abstract

The mechanism of the reaction of aluminium triethyl with various n-alkenes is investigated. The rate of disappearance of alkene obeys an equation which is first-order in alkene and half-order in aluminium triethyl concentration, indicating that the monomeric form of the aluminium triethyl is reactive. Arrhenius parameters are evaluated in terms of the aluminium triethyl dimer dissociating prior to reacting. The solubilities of the alkenes propene-1, butene-1, butene-2 and pentene-1 are measured to obtain their heats of dissolution in dekalin. The unreactivity of butene-2 to aluminium triethyl addition under the conditions used for studying the n-alkene has also been established.