Fremgangsmåte for fremstilling av alkoksymagnesiumhalogenider

It has surprisingly now been discovered that alkoxy-magnesium halides of the general formula ROMgX wherein R is an alkyl having from about 1 to 18 carbon atoms and X is a halide can be synthesized in an inert hydrocarbon in just one step process by reacting magnesium which has been preliminarily activated with small quantities (approximately 5 mol %) of magnesium alkyl with a substantially equimolar mixture of an alkyl halide and an alkanol. That is, the present invention provides a one step reaction process for preparing alkoxy-magnesium halides. This one step reaction process involves reacting magnesium metal which has been previously activated with a magnesium-alkyl compound, with an equimolar mixture of an alkyl halide and an alkanol. Yields in excess of 90% can be obtained by employing the inventive one step reaction process.