Patent ID: 8513447

Claim:
A method for preparing trialkyl metal compounds of the formula GaR 3 or InR 3 comprising: a) adding GaX 3 or InX 3 and monovalent salt MX to an ionic liquid comprising one or more than one molten salt of the formula M[AlR n X (4-n) ] at a temperature of from 75 to 160° C. to form a mixture of salts; b) adding from 0.9 to 2.0 molar equivalents of AlR 3 , based on moles of GaX 3 or InX 3 , to the mixture of salts formed in a) to form a reaction mixture, and c) distilling GaR 3 or InR 3 from the reaction mixture; wherein each M is independently Li, Na, K or Cs; each X is independently is F, Cl, Br or I; R is C 1-6 alkyl; n is a number of from 1 to 3; and wherein the amount of MX added is 1.0 to 2.0 molar equivalents of the amount of added GaX 3 or InX 3 .