Aluminium phenolate
Aluminium phenolate is the metalloorganic compound with the formula n. It is a white solid. 27Al NMR studies suggest that aluminium phenolate exists in benzene solution as a mixture of dimer and trimer. The compound can be prepared by the reaction of elemental aluminium with phenol:
The compound is used as a catalyst for the alkylation of phenols with various alkenes. For example, the ethylphenols are generated commercially by treating phenol with ethylene in the presence of a catalytic amount of aluminium phenolate.