Method of making metal 8-quinolinolato complexes

Abstract

A method for making metal (8-quinolinolate) complexes from air and moisture stable reagents is described. For example, the making of aluminum tris(quinolinolates), such as tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato), from aluminum (III) carboxylates, such as aluminum lactate and aluminum stearate, is described. Examples of bis and tris metal (8-quinolinolates) as well as single and mixed ligand complexes are given.

what is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of making metal (8-quinolinolates) comprising combining a metal carboxylate material with an 8-hydroxyquinoline compound represented by Formula I in an appropriate organic solvent.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal carboxylate material is combined with three equivalents of the 8-hydroxyquinoline compound to produce a metal tris(8-quinolinolate).  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more reaction byproducts are also at least partially soluble in the organic solvent.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal carboxylate is combined with at least two different 8-hydroxyquinoline compounds to produce a mixed ligand metal (8-quinolinolate).  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal (8-quinolinolate) reaction product is an aluminum tris(8-quinolinolate).  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal (8-quinolinolate) reaction product is a zinc bis(8-quinolinolate).  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one reactant, and optionally at least one byproduct, is soluble in water.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is selected from the group consisting of aluminum stearate, aluminum lactate, and zinc stearate.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is aluminum lactate and the solvent is ethanol.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is aluminum stearate and the solvent is toluene.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is zinc acetate and the solvent is methanol.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising purifying the resulting metal (8-quinolinolate) by a method selected from the group consisting of recrystallization, sublimation, and Soxhlet extraction.  
     
     
         13 . A reaction composition for the production of metal (8-quinolinolates) comprising a metal carboxylate material and an 8-hydroxyquinoline represented by Formula I in an organic solvent.  
     
     
         14 . The reaction composition of  claim 13  comprising three equivalents of the 8-hydroxyquinoline compound for each equivalent of the metal carboxylate material.  
     
     
         15 . The reaction composition of  claim 13  comprising two equivalents of the 8-hydroxyquinoline compound for each equivalent of the metal carboxylate material.  
     
     
         16 . The reaction composition of  claim 13  comprising at least two different 8-hydroxyquinoline compounds.  
     
     
         17 . The reaction composition of  claim 13  wherein the carboxylate is selected from the group consisting of aluminum stearate, aluminum lactate, and zinc acetate.  
     
     
         18 . The reaction composition of  claim 13  wherein the carboxylate is aluminum lactate and the solvent is ethanol.  
     
     
         19 . The reaction composition of  claim 13  wherein the carboxylate is aluminum stearate and the solvent is toluene.  
     
     
         20 . The reaction composition of  claim 13  wherein the carboxylate is zinc acetate and the solvent is methanol.  
     
     
         21 . The reaction product of the composition of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         22 . An electroluminescent lamp comprising the reaction product of claim  21 .