Alkyl derivatives of boehmite having the second stage structure

The reaction of aluminum alkoxide in straight-chain primary alcohols at ele vated temperatures yielded the alkyl derivatives of bochmite [AlO(OH)(1-x)( OR)(x)], a class of intercalation compound where the guess moieties are cov alently bonded to the host boehmite layers. The addition of small amounts o f water to the reaction system yielded another phase having a larger basal spacing. XRD, IR, and elemental analysis showed that the products had the b oehmite layer structure with the alkyl moieties incorporated between the bo ehmite layers. IR spectra of the products also exhibited bands due to hydro gen bonding between the boehmite layers. These results suggest that the pro ducts are the alkyl derivatives of boehmite having the second stage structu re. Because water in the reaction medium facilitated the hydrolysis of inte rmediate aluminum alkoxides, the product with the second stage structure ha d smaller alkyl/Al ratio and therefore had smaller basal spacing than that expected from the corresponding first stage product.