Abstract: A method of preparing high purity dimethyl cadmium or dimethyl zinc suitable for use in the deposition of Group II-VI epitaxial layers, which consists of forming an adduct of the metal alkyl with a non-chelating tertiary amine containing at least two tertiary amino groups per amine molecule, and subsequently dissociating the adduct to liberate the metal alkyl as a vapor. The adducts formed during the preparative method are found to dissociate readily on heating and yet are substantially involatile and so do not contaminate the liberated metal alkyl. A preferred amine suitable for use in the preparative method is 4,4' bipyridyl.