Aluminoxanes are

organoaluminium compound Organoaluminium chemistry is the study of compounds containing bonds between carbon and aluminium. It is one of the major themes within organometallic chemistry. Illustrative organoaluminium compounds are the dimer trimethylaluminium, the monomer ...

s with the formula AlOsub>m ₂AlO_0.5sub>n ₂AlOHsub>o, where R = organic substituent. The following structural rules apply: Al is tetrahedral and O is three-coordinate.

Methylaluminoxane Methylaluminoxane, commonly called MAO, is a mixture of organoaluminium compounds with the approximate formula (Al(CH3)O)''n''. It is usually encountered as a solution in (aromatic) solvents, commonly toluene but also xylene, cumene, or mesitylene ...

is widely used in the polymerization of alkenes. These compounds are typically obtained by the partial hydrolysis of trialkylaluminium compounds. Aluminoxanes serve as activators for catalytic olefin polymerisation, such as the

Ziegler–Natta catalyst A Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, is a catalyst used in the synthesis of polymers of 1-alkenes (alpha-olefins). Two broad classes of Ziegler–Natta catalysts are employed, distinguished by their solubility: * He ...

. They also serve a function as

scavenger Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding b ...

for impurities (e.g.

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

) in reactions that are sensitive to these impurities. Aluminoxane, appearing as white solids, are encountered as solutions. Al6oxaneBarron

References

Aluminium compounds Organometallic compounds Coordination complexes {{Organic-compound-stub