Study of the reactions between titanium tetrachloride and ethylaluminium compounds in hydrocarbon solution: II. Gaseous reaction products

Abstract

Abstract Gaseous reaction products from the systems AlEt 3 /TiCl 4 , AlEt 2 Cl/TiCl 4 and AlEtCl 2 /TiCl 4 in isooctane solution at 80°C have been studied. A set of reactions explaining the formation of the observed products H 2 , C 2 H 6 , C 2 H 5 Cl, n‐C 4 H 10 and n‐C 6 H 14 is given. It is possible to account nearly quantitatively for the conversion of the ethyl groups and for the extent of reduction of TiCl 4 . It appeared that the formation of ethane is partly due to dis‐proportionation of ethyl groups, and partly to ethyl groups abstracting hydrogen from the isooctane. In the system AlMe 3 /TiCl 4 the methyl groups quantitatively react in the latter way to form CH 4 . The isooctane to a small extent decomposes into isobutane and isobutene or into isopentane and propene. It is supposed that the brown precipitates formed in the reduction of TiCl 4 act as catalysts for this decomposition.