Diethylzinc pyrolysis

In the analysis of diethylzinc, a 1 ml sample is cooled to — 196°C and treated with 2 ml of ethanol to give the ethoxide. During subsequent conversion to zinc nitrate (prior to pyrolysis to the oxide) by treatment with 3 ml of 30% nitric acid, cooling must be continued to avoid an explosion hazard. 

Hampden-Smith and co-workers have prepared [Zn(SEt)Et]10 (Figure 30) by the insertion of sulfur into the Zn—C bond of diethylzinc. 7 Although this decameric thiolate possesses an arrangement of zinc and sulfur atoms similar to that found in wurtzite, pyrolysis of the material at 250 °C led to predominantly cubic ZnS. Cubic ZnS was also formed when the precursor is used in a spray CVD process. 

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