Fission of As-As bonds in elemental arsenic by alkali metals in liquid ammonia. A route to monoalkyl arsines

Addition of two mol equivalents of t-butyl alcohol to a mixture of powdered arsenic and three mol equivalents of lithium in liquid ammonia gives a sus pension of lithium arsenide LiAsH2. Subsequent addition of a large excess o f t-butyl alcohol and n-octyl iodide at very low temperatures affords n-oct yl arsine in similar to 65% yield.