1H-NMR spectra of complexes between methacrylic monomer and ethylaluminium dichloride in toluene and methylene chloride

¹H-NMR spectra of mixtures of a methacrylic monomer such as methacrylonitrile or methyl methacrylate and ethylaluminium dichloride at various molar ratios were measured in toluene or methylene chloride at various temperatures. It was found that only one kind of binary complex is detectable in the methacrylonitrile–ethylaluminum dichloride equimolar mixture, while in nonequimolar systems there are several kinds of binary complexes, depending on the molar ratio at low temperature in these solvents. Moreover, the chemical shifts of the protons of methacrylonitrile due to complex formation with ethylaluminum dichloride show a remarkable temperature dependence in toluene, but not in methylene chloride. This fact can be interpreted by an assumption of the formation of a ternary complex of methacrylonitrile, ethylaluminum dichloride, and aromatic donor molecules, mainly due to the dipole interaction between the nitrile group complexed with ethylaluminum dichloride and aromatic donor. The orientation of toluene molecules in the ternary complex of methacrylonitrile or methyl methacrylate is discussed.