Cp*3 Al5 I6 : An Intermediate in Reactions Leading to Elemental Aluminum and AlIII Species?

A first indication of the reaction mechanism for the disproportionation of an AlI species to an AlIII compound and metallic aluminum is provided by the isolation of [Cp*3 Al5 I6 ], an intermediate that is formed in the ready disproportionation of [Cp*Al] in the presence of Al2 I6 (see reaction sequence). This potentially key role of AlI compounds could be of great significance for large-scale industrial processes. X=I, Cl.