Process for purification of gaseous organometallic compound

A process for purifying a gaseous organometallic compound containing impurities comprising removing oxygen contained therein as an impurity by bringing the gaseous organometallic compound which is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of dimethylzinc, diethylzinc, dimethylcadmium, diethylcadmium, dimethylmercury, trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, diisobutylaluminum hydride, trimethoxyaluminum, dimethylaluminum monochloride, trimethylgallium, triethylgallium, triethoxygallium, trimethylindium, triethylindium, dimethylgold acetylacetonato, bishexafluoro acetylacetonato copper, biscyclopentadienylmagnesium, tetramethyltin, trimethyl arsenic, trimethylphosphorous, dimethylselenium, diethylselenium, dimethyltellurium and pentacarbonyliron into contact with a catalyst consisting essentially of (i) a component selected from the group consisting of metallic copper, copper oxide activated by reduction with hydrogen, metallic nickel and nickel oxide activated by reduction with hydrogen, and (ii) a carrier on which the metallic component is supported, said component being in an amount of 20 to 95% by weight expressed in terms of metallic copper or metallic nickel, based on the total amount of the metallic component and the carrier, said catalyst having a specific surface area as measured by the BET method of 30 to 250 m.sup.2 /g and said catalyst being activated under reducing conditions by hydrogen.