Prepd by reacting aluminum powder with absolute ethanol in xylene using small amounts of mercuric chloride and iodine as catalysts: Meerwein, Schmidt, Ann. 444, 232 (1925); Newer Methods of Preparative Organic Chemistry (Interscience, New York, 1948) p 132; see also Farbwerke vorm. Meister, Lucius und Brüning, DE 286596; J. Soc. Chem. Ind. London 34, 1168 (1915); Adkins, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 44, 2178 (1922). Laboratory procedure: Gattermann-Wieland, Praxis des Organischen Chemikers (de Gruyter, Berlin, 40th ed., 1961) p 333.