Aluminium ethoxide

Aluminium triethoxide (also aluminium ethoxide) is an metallo-organic compound with the empirical formula Al(OCH2CH3)3. It is a moisture-sensitive white powder.

Properties
Aluminium triethoxide is slightly soluble in hot dimethyl benzene, chlorobenzene and other high boiling point non-polar solvents. It hydrolyzes to aluminium hydroxide and ethanol:
 * Al(OEt)3 + 3 H2O → Al(OH)3 + 3 EtOH

Although the structure of aluminium triethoxide has not been established by X-ray crystallography, the related aluminium isopropoxide has a tetrameric structure as verified by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The species is described by the formula Al[(μ-O-i-Pr)2Al(O-i-Pr)2]3. The unique central Al is octahedral, and three other Al centers adopt tetrahedral geometry. A

Applications
Aluminium triethoxide is used as a reducing agent for aldehydes and ketones, and is also used as a polymerization catalyst. Aluminium triethoxide is mainly used in Sol-Gel Process preparation of high purity aluminium sesquioxide, which is a polymerization agent. At the same time, it is used as a reducing reagent, for example, carbonyl compounds that restore to alcohol.

Synthesis
Aluminium triethoxide is produced by treating aluminium with anhydrous alcohol. The aluminium is often activated with iodine or by amalgamation to accelerate the reaction.

Aluminium triethoxide has been evaluated as a catalyst for the synthesis of esters and carbonates.