Abstract: A process for the preparation of alkyllithium compounds including 2-alkyl-substituted alkyllithium compounds by reacting in a liquid organic solvent, in an inert atmosphere a C.sub.2 to C.sub.18 saturated, acyclic, primary alkyl halide including 2-alkyl-substituted alkyl halides with a dispersion of particulate lithium and sodium metals in which there is 5 to 50 mole percent sodium based on the lithium content at a temperature of 0.degree. to a temperature up to but not exceeding the decomposition temperature of the product.

Abstract: This invention concerns an improved process for preparing a hydrocarbon soluble dialkylmagnesium compound by reacting a dialkylmagnesium-magnesium chloride composition in an inert hydrocarbon solvent with a chemical selected from an alkali metal alkyl compound and an alkali metal trialkylmagnesiate compound and dialkylmagnesium compounds of the formulaMgR.sub.a R.sup.1.sub.b R.sup.2.sub.c R.sup.3.sub.d R.sup.4.sub.ewherein a+b+c+d=2, R is a 2-alkylsubstituted primary alkyl group and R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are hydrocarbyl groups which may be the same or different.

Abstract: Stable alkali metal trialkylmagnesiate compositions are produced in high yields by simultaneously adding to a stirred dispersion of an alkali metal in an inert liquid hydrocarbon solvent a soluble dialkylmagnesium compound and an alkyl halide. By using a 2-alkyl substituted C.sub.4 -C.sub.18 primary alkyl chloride as the alkyl halide, alkali metal trialkylmagnesiates are produced which have excellent solubility, even at low temperatures, and good thermal stability over a wide range of temperatures. Moreover, the trialkylmagnesiates are soluble in liquid aliphatic or cycloaliphatic solvents in the absence of aromatic solvents or Lewis bases, which makes these compositions especially useful for certain applications, such as catalysts in anionic polymerization, where the presence of aromatic solvents or Lewis bases is undesirable.