Higher trialkylaluminum compounds may be made by forming &agr;-olefin by oligomerizing ethylene using a transition metal containing catalyst, reacting the &agr;-olefins formed with aluminum and hydrogen to form higher trialkylaluminum compounds. These may optionally be oxidized, as with oxygen, to form higher trialkoxyaluminum compound, which in turn may be hydrolyzed to &agr;-alcohols. Higher trialkylaluminum compounds and &agr;-alcohols are useful as chemical intermediates.