Phenoxyaluminium compounds : VII. Reactions of organoaluminium compounds with hindered phenols

Reactions of Me₃Al, i-Bu₃Al, Me₂AlCl and Me₂AlCCMe with 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol have been studied at different molar ratios of the reactants.It is found that in the reaction with the phenol, trimethylaluminium forms monomeric methylaluminium diphenoxide; triisobutylaluminium gives both monomeric mono- and di-phenoxyaluminium (depending on molar ratios of the reactants) and dimethylchloroaluminium forms dimeric methylphenoxyaluminium chloride.It is found that methylpropynylaluminium phenoxide is unstable and disproportionates in hydrocarbon solutions.The mechanisms of some of these reactions are suggested.