In organic chemistry, the Ziegler process (also called the Ziegler-Alfol synthesis) is a method for producing fatty alcohols from ethylene using an organoaluminium compound.
The process uses an aluminum compound to oligomerize ethylene and allow the resulting alkyl group to be oxygenated.
[1][2] The Ziegler alcohol synthesis involves oligomerization of ethylene using triethylaluminium followed by oxidation.
In this process, chain growth is optimized to produce alcohols with narrow molecular weight distribution.
Synthesis of other alcohols use Ziegler and the updated EPAL process, such as the transalkylation of styrene to form 2-phenylethanol.