Stabilised Alpha-Aluminium Hydride

Chemical Properties: Aluminum hydride is a polymeric hydride. It appears as colorless to white hexagonal crystals and is thermally unstable. Its relative molecular mass is 29.99. It decomposes when heated to 150–200°C; the exact decomposition temperature varies depending on the conditions of its formation. It is a strong reducing agent. It reacts explosively with water and moist air, generating hydrogen gas. Exposure to light can also induce decomposition. It is readily soluble in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and diethyl ether; its solubility in diethyl ether is 0.2 mol/L. While it possesses some solubility in ethanol, it also reacts with ethanol to release hydrogen gas. It is available from major international reagent suppliers and can also be prepared by reacting aluminum trichloride with lithium aluminum hydride in an ether solution. The aluminum hydride/ether solution obtained after removing the lithium chloride precipitate must be used immediately; otherwise, the aluminum hydride will precipitate out as a white polymeric solid containing ether after approximately 30 minutes. Alternatively, the ether solvent can be removed, and the solid redissolved in THF.

Uses: It serves as a polymerization catalyst and a reducing agent, and acts as a raw material for the preparation of lithium aluminum hydride. As a complex hydride with extremely strong reducing properties, it is commonly used as a reducing agent in organic synthesis and in displacement reactions to produce hydrides of other elements. It also serves as a source of hydrogen.

Chemical Properties: Aluminum hydride is a polymeric hydride. It appears as colorless to white hexagonal crystals and is thermally unstable. Its relative molecular mass is 29.99. It decomposes when heated to 150–200°C; the exact decomposition temperature varies depending on the conditions of its formation. It is a strong reducing agent. It reacts explosively with water and moist air, generating hydrogen gas. Exposure to light can also induce decomposition. It is readily soluble in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and diethyl ether; its solubility in diethyl ether is 0.2 mol/L. While it possesses some solubility in ethanol, it also reacts with ethanol to release hydrogen gas. It is available from major international reagent suppliers and can also be prepared by reacting aluminum trichloride with lithium aluminum hydride in an ether solution. The aluminum hydride/ether solution obtained after removing the lithium chloride precipitate must be used immediately; otherwise, the aluminum hydride will precipitate out as a white polymeric solid containing ether after approximately 30 minutes. Alternatively, the ether solvent can be removed, and the solid redissolved in THF.

Uses: It serves as a polymerization catalyst and a reducing agent, and acts as a raw material for the preparation of lithium aluminum hydride. As a complex hydride with extremely strong reducing properties, it is commonly used as a reducing agent in organic synthesis and in displacement reactions to produce hydrides of other elements. It also serves as a source of hydrogen.

Chemical Properties: Aluminum hydride is a polymeric hydride. It appears as colorless to white hexagonal crystals and is thermally unstable. Its relative molecular mass is 29.99. It decomposes when heated to 150–200°C; the exact decomposition temperature varies depending on the conditions of its formation. It is a strong reducing agent. It reacts explosively with water and moist air, generating hydrogen gas. Exposure to light can also induce decomposition. It is readily soluble in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and diethyl ether; its solubility in diethyl ether is 0.2 mol/L. While it possesses some solubility in ethanol, it also reacts with ethanol to release hydrogen gas. It is available from major international reagent suppliers and can also be prepared by reacting aluminum trichloride with lithium aluminum hydride in an ether solution. The aluminum hydride/ether solution obtained after removing the lithium chloride precipitate must be used immediately; otherwise, the aluminum hydride will precipitate out as a white polymeric solid containing ether after approximately 30 minutes. Alternatively, the ether solvent can be removed, and the solid redissolved in THF.

Uses: It serves as a polymerization catalyst and a reducing agent, and acts as a raw material for the preparation of lithium aluminum hydride. As a complex hydride with extremely strong reducing properties, it is commonly used as a reducing agent in organic synthesis and in displacement reactions to produce hydrides of other elements. It also serves as a source of hydrogen.