 Solution

Trialkylaluminium compounds commonly form dimers with two bridging alkyl groups and four terminal alkyl groups. Each electron-deficient bridge is a three-centre two-electron bond spanning Al–C–Al; the carbon–metal bond electrons are shared with the second aluminium center. A localized ordinary two-center bond to each Al would overcount the electrons.

For $[{\mathrm{R}}_2\mathrm{AlH}{]}_2$, hydride bridges are expected to be especially favorable, giving a four-membered Al–H–Al–H core with two terminal alkyl groups on each Al. The Al–H–Al links are again three-centre two-electron bonds. Hydride is small and can bridge without the steric cost of a bulky alkyl bridge. Aggregation still depends on substituent size, donor solvent and concentration; this is the natural dimeric model, not a statement that all dialkylaluminium hydrides are dimers under every condition.