Alane

Alane, in chemistry, refers to aluminum hydride, with the formula AlH3. In practice, free AlH3 is not isolated as a simple, stable monomer; it exists mainly as polymeric solids that are highly air- and moisture-sensitive. It readily reacts with water to yield aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen. Because the polymeric material is difficult to handle, most work with alane uses stabilized forms known as alane adducts.

These adducts are donor-stabilized complexes formed by coordinating AlH3 to Lewis bases such as amines or ethers. Common examples include trimethylamine alane (AlH3·NMe3) and THF alane (AlH3·THF). These complexes are easier to handle than the parent polymer and can be used as reducing agents in organic synthesis. They have also been investigated as hydrogen storage materials because they can release hydrogen under appropriate conditions, typically with heat or catalytic triggers, though reversibility and practicality depend on the specific adduct.

Production and use: Alane adducts are generated by metathesis or hydride-transfer reactions that involve aluminum hydride sources and donor ligands, usually under inert atmosphere. They are typically stored under inert gas and at low temperature to preserve stability. In research contexts, they serve both as selective reducing agents and as potential components of hydrogen-storage systems.

Safety and handling: Alane compounds are highly reactive toward moisture and oxygen. They require handling under inert atmosphere with appropriate protective equipment, and containment measures to manage flammable hydrogen evolution and reactive byproducts.