REACTIONS OF TITANIUM HALIDES WITH ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS: I. STOICHIOMETRY OF THE REACTIONS BETWEEN TITANIUM TETRACHLORIDE AND SOME ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS

Abstract

The over-all stoichiometry of the reactions involving titanium tetrachloride and various organometallic compounds has been determined. While titanium tetrachloride reacts with aluminum ethyldichloride and lead tetraethyl according to a 1:1 stoichiometry for any ratio investigated, the reaction between aluminum triethyl and titanium tetrachloride proceeds according to different paths when the ratio of the reagents is changed. Equations describing the reactions between aluminum triethyl and titanium tetrachloride, where the stoichiometries are respectively 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, are derived. Although a certain amount of hydrogen has been isolated after hydrolysis of the products of these reactions, no definite evidence is found for the presence of Ti(II).In all the experiments (except those in which an Al/Ti ratio greater than unity was used) substantial amounts of ethyl chloride and ethylene have been found, together with the main gaseous components, ethane and butane. A higher alkane was also isolated from the solid products of the reaction and is equal to the quantity of ethane liberated.