Reactions of dialkylaluminium acetylacetonates with Lewis bases

The reactions of dialkylaluminium acetylacetonates, R₂Al(acac),(where R = CH₃, C₂H₅ and i-C₄H₉; I–III) with Lewis bases Et₂O, THF, Py, 2,6-dimethylpyridine (DMP), DSMO and HMPT, have been studied. The reaction was found to proceed according to the equation:

With strong bases (B) the reaction is shifted completely to the right, with bases of moderate strength an equilibrium is established and with weak bases the reaction is shifted completely to the left. The reaction rate constant k₁ depends on R and increases in the order i-C₄H₉ < C₂H₅ < CH₃. The reaction starts from the formation of the complex R₂Al(acac)-B (consisting of a five-coordinated aluminium atom) and its further dissociation. The reaction mechanism is discussed.