Patent ID: 6867315

Claim:
A method for preparing an alkyl gallium comprising the step of reacting a compound of the general formula (1): R 1 3−m GaX m−3 (1) wherein R 1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon radical, X is a halogen atom, and m is an integer of 0 to 3, with a compound of the general formula (2): R 2 3 Al (2) wherein R 2 is an alkyl radical of one or two carbon atoms, to form an alkyl gallium of the general formula (3): GaR 2 3 (3) wherein R 2 is as defined above, characterized by the use as a solvent of a compound having a boiling point which is at least 10° C. higher than the boiling point of the alkyl gallium of formula (3) and represented by the general formula (4): R 3 n Ar (4) wherein R 3 is independently at each occurrence hydrogen, methyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon radical having 6 to 16 carbon atoms or an electrophilic substituent radical, Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon radical having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, and n is an integer of 1 to 14, with the proviso that n is an integer of 2 to 6 when all R 3 radicals are methyl.