Diethyl (CAS NO.: ), with other names as Zinc, diethyl-, could be produced through the following synthetic routes.

In a 500-cc. round-bottomed flask, provided with a reflux condenser and a heavy stirrer, is placed 130 g. (approximately 2 gram atoms) of zinc-copper couple. To this is added a mixture of 78 g. (0.5 mole) of ethyl iodide and 54.4 g. (0.5 mole) of ethyl bromide; the stirrer is started and the mixture heated to refluxing. After one-half hour of refluxing, the reaction starts, as is evidenced by the greatly increased rate of refluxing, and the flame is removed. If the reaction becomes too vigorous, the flask is cooled with ice water, but only to the point where the reaction is again under control. At the end of one-half hour from the time the flame is removed, the reaction is usually over. The flask is allowed to cool to room temperature, connected with a distilling head, condenser, and receiver, and the contents are distilled under reduced pressure directly from the reaction flask into a 200-cc. round-bottomed flask immersed in an ice-salt mixture. At the end of the distillation, dry carbon dioxide or purified nitrogen is admitted to the apparatus. The yield of crude material, which is sufficiently pure for most purposes, is 53–55 g. (86–89 per cent of the theoretical amount).

For purification, a 30-cm. fractionating column of the Vigreux type is fitted with a condenser and receiving flask provided with a vent. The extension of this vent is covered with a test tube carrying another small tube for admitting carbon dioxide; the end of the test tube is then loosely plugged by a piece of cotton wool. The apparatus is swept out with carbon dioxide, and the round-bottomed flask containing the once-distilled diethyl zinc is connected to the column. The diethyl zinc is then redistilled at atmospheric pressure. The yield of material boiling at 115–120° is 50–52 g. (81–84 per cent of the theoretical amount).