Conductance of Some 1:1 Electrolytes in N,N-Dimethylacetamide at 25°C

Precise conductance measurements of solutions of lithium chloride, lithium bromide, lithium iodide, lithium perchlorate, lithium tetrafluoroborate, lithium hexafluoroarsenate, tetrabutylammonium bromide, and tetrabutylammonium tetraphenylborate in N,N-dimethylacetamide are reported at 25°C in the concentration range 0.005–0.015 mol-dm^–3. The conductance data have been analyzed by the 1978 Fuoss conductance equation in terms of the limiting molar conductance (⁰), the association constant (K _a), and the association diameter (R). The limiting ionic conductances have been estimated from an appropriate division of the limiting molar conductivity of the reference electrolyte Bu₄NBPh₄. Slight ionic association was found for all these salts in this solvent medium. The results further indicate significant solvation of Li⁺ion, while the other ions are found to be unsolvated in N,N-dimethylacetamide.     

Crystal Structures of Double Vanadates LiCoVO4 and Li0.5Co1.25VO4

The crystal structures of vanadates Li_1-2xCo_1+xVO₄ with x = 0 and 0.25 have been studied by a full pattern analysis. It has been shown that in cubic spinel LiCoVO₄ (space group Fd3m), the 8a tetrahedral sites contain a majority of vanadium and a small amount of lithium; all cobalt, lithium, and a small amount of vanadium occupy the 16d octahedral sites. Li_0.5Co_1.25VO₄ crystals belong to the rhombic system (Imma space group) with unit cell parameters a = 5.939(1), b = 5.810(1), and c = 8.303(1). On substitution of lithium by cobalt according to the scheme 2Li⁺ Co²⁺ + , half of the lithium and 70% of the vacancies formed are in the 4a octahedral sites, and onethird of lithium and most of cobalt occupy the 4d octahedral sites. The 4e tetrahedral sites are completely occupied by vanadium and lithium in a ratio of 0.92/0.08. The interatomic distances in LiCoVO₄ and Li_0.5Co_1.25VO₄ are calculated, and the sizes of lithium ion transport channels are evaluated.     

Neutron diffraction and electrochemical studies on LiIrSn4

Large quantities of single phase, polycrystalline LiIrSn₄ have been synthesised from the elements by melting in sealed tantalum tubes and subsequent annealing. LiIrSn₄ crystallises with an ordered version of the PdGa₅ structure: I4/mcm, a=655.62(8), . The lithium atoms were clearly localised from a neutron powder diffraction study: R_P=0.147 and R_F=0.058. Time-dependent electrochemical polarisation techniques, i.e. coulometric titration, chronopotentiometry, chronoamperometry and cyclic voltammetry were used to study the kinetics of lithium ion diffusion in this stannide. The range of homogeneity (Li_1+ΔδIrSn₄, −0.091?δ?+0.012) without any structural change in the host structure and the chemical diffusion coefficient (∼10⁻⁷-10⁻⁹ cm²/s) point out that LiIrSn₄ is a first example of a large class of intermetallic compounds with lithium and electron mobility. Optimised materials from these ternary lithium alloys may be potential electrode material for rechargeable lithium batteries.     

Stereoselective conjugate addition reactions of lithium amides to α,β-unsaturated chiral iron acyl complexes [(η-C5H5)Fe(CO)(PPh3)(COCHCHR)]

Conjugate addition of achiral lithium dimethylamide to the chiral iron cinnamoyl complexes (S,E)- and (S,Z)-[(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)(PPh₃)(COCHCHPh)] proceeds with high diastereoselectivity, with this protocol being used to establish unambiguously the absolute configuration of Winterstein’s acid (3-N,N-dimethylamino-3-phenylpropanoic acid) as (R). The highly diastereoselective conjugate addition of lithium N-benzyl-N-trimethylsilylamide to a range of α,β-unsaturated iron acyl complexes, followed by in-situ elaboration of the derived enolate by either alkylation or aldol reactions is also demonstrated, facilitating the stereoselective synthesis of both cis- and trans-β-lactams. This methodology has been used to effect the formal asymmetric syntheses of (±)-olivanic acid and (±)-thienamycin. Addition of chiral lithium amides derived from primary and secondary amines to the iron crotonyl complex [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)(PPh₃)(COCHCHMe)] indicates that lithium N-α-methylbenzylamide shows low levels of enantiorecognition, while lithium N-3,4-dimethoxybenzyl-N-α-methylbenzylamide and lithium N-benzyl-N-α-methylbenzylamide show high levels of enantiodiscrimination. The high level of observed enantiorecognition was used to facilitate a kinetic resolution of (RS)-[(η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)(PPh₃)(COCHCHMe)] with homochiral lithium (R)-N-3,4-dimethoxybenzyl-N-α-methylbenzylamide. Further mechanistic studies show that conjugate additions of (RS)-lithium N-benzyl-N-α-methylbenzylamide to either the (RS)- or homochiral iron crotonyl complex show 2:1 stoicheiometry, while homochiral lithium N-benzyl-N-α-methylbenzylamide shows 1:1 stoicheiometry.     

Remarkable Lewis acid effects on polymerization of functionalized alkenes by metallocene and lithium ester enolates

Drastic effects of Lewis acids E(C₆F₅)₃ (E = Al, B) on polymerization of functionalized alkenes such as methyl methacrylate (MMA) and N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (DMAA) mediated by metallocene and lithium ester enolates, Cp₂Zr[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂]₂ (1) and Me₂CC(OⁱPr)OLi, are documented as well as elucidated. In the case of metallocene bis(ester enolate) 1, when combined with 2 equiv. of Al(C₆F₅)₃, it effects highly active ion-pairing polymerization of MMA and DMAA; the living nature of this polymerization system allows for the synthesis of well-defined diblock and triblock copolymers of MMA with longer-chain alkyl methacrylates. In sharp contrast, the 1/2B(C₆F₅)₃ combination exhibits low to negligible polymerization activity due to the formation of ineffective adduct Cp₂Zr[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂]⁺[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂B(C₆F₅)₃]⁻ (2). Such a profound Al vs. B Lewis acid effect has also been observed for the lithium ester enolate; while the Me₂CC(OⁱPr)OLi/2Al(C₆F₅)₃ system is highly active for MMA polymerization, the seemingly analogous Me₂CC(OⁱPr)OLi/2B(C₆F₅)₃ system is inactive. Structure analyses of the resulting lithium enolaluminate and enolborate adducts, Li⁺[Me₂CC(OⁱPr)OAl(C₆F₅)₃]⁻ (3) and Li⁺[Me₂CC(OⁱPr)OB(C₆F₅)₃]⁻ (4), coupled with polymerization studies, show that the remarkable differences observed for Al vs. B are due to the inability of the lithium enolborate/borane pair to effect the bimolecular, activated-monomer anionic polymerization as does the lithium enolaluminate/alane pair.     

Influence of co-ions in the eluent on the separation factor of lithium isotopes

The influence of co-ions in the eluent on the separation factor () of lithium isotope separation has been studied by ion exchange chromatography. A strongly acid cation exchange resin (Dowex 50W-X8) was used for the separation of lithium isotopes. The co-ions used in eluent were H⁺, K⁺, Ba²⁺, Cu²⁺, Al³⁺ and Cr³⁺ as their chlorides. From the experiments, it was found that⁶Li was enriched in the resin phase and⁷Li in solution phase. At the same distribution coefficient (K_d=30), the separation factor increased linearly with the charge of co-ion (=1.0022 to 1.0039).     

Thermodynamics of Lithium Intercalates in Carbonized Fabric

The method of quasi-equilibrium galvanostatic curves was applied to study the thermodynamics of lithium deintercalation from the system Li _x C₆ (solid phase)/Li⁺ (solution) in the interval 293-323 K and the thermodynamic characteristics (G, S, H) of lithium intercalation compounds in a carbonized fabric in relation to the degree of intercalation x.     

Charge distribution and mobility of lithium ions in Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> from <Superscript>6,7</Superscript>Li NMR data

A comparative analysis of ^6,7Li NMR spectra is performed for the samples of monoclinic lithium titanate obtained at different synthesis temperatures. In the ⁷Li NMR spectra three lines are found, which differ in quadrupole splitting frequencies v _Q and according to ab initio EFG calculations are assigned to three crystallographic sites of lithium: Li1 (v _Q ～ 27 kHz); Li2 (v _Q ～ 59 kHz); Li3 (v _Q ～ 6 kHz). The dynamics of lithium ions is studied in a wide temperature range from 300 K to 900 K. It is found that the narrowing of ⁷Li NMR spectra as a result of thermally activated diffusion of lithium ions in the low-temperature Li₂TiO₃ sample is observed at a higher temperature in comparison with a sample of high-temperature lithium titanate. Based on the analysis of ⁶Li NMR spectra it is assumed that there is mixed occupancy of lithium and titanium sites in the corresponding layers of the crystal structure of low-temperature lithium titanate, which hinders lithium ion transfer over regular crystallographic sites.     

Kristallstruktur und elektrische Leitfähigkeit von Li2–2xMn1+xCl4-Spinelltyp-Mischkristallen

Crystal Structure and Electric Conductivity of Spinel-Type Li_2–2xMn_1+xCl₄ Solid Solutions The electric conductivity of the fast lithium ion conductors Li_2–2xMn_1+xCl₄ was measured by impedance spectroscopic methods. The conductivities obtained, e.g. ～ 4 × 10^?1 Ω^?2 cm^?1 at 570 K, depend only little on the lithium content. The crystal structure of Li_1.6Mn_1.2Cl₄ was determined by neutron powder and X-ray single crystal diffraction (space group Fd3 m, Z = 8, a = 1 049.39(6) pm, R_w = 1.4% on the basis of 170 reflections). The lithium deficient chloride crystallizes in an inverse spinel structure like the stoichiometric compound Li₂MnCl₄ according to the formula (Li_0,8)[Li_0,4Mn_0,6]₂Cl₄ with vacancies ( ) at the tetrahedral sites. The decrease of the M_oct? Cl distances with the increase of x reveals that the ionic radius of Mn²⁺ in chlorides is equal or even smaller than that of Li⁺ opposite to fluorides and oxides. The ? Cl distances of spinel type chlorides are 237 ( _tet) and 274 pm ( _oct), respectively. The mechanism of the ionic conductivity is discussed.     

Lithium and lanthanum complexes with acenaphthylene dianion. Molecular structure of [Li(Et2O)2]2μ2:η3[Li(η3:η3-C12H8)]2 complex

The lithium complex with the acenaphthylene dianion [Li(Et₂O)₂]₂₂:³[Li(³:³-C₁₂H₈)]₂ (1) was synthesized by the reduction of acenaphthylene with lithium in diethyl ether. According to the X-ray diffraction data, compound 1 has a reverse-sandwich structure with the bridging dianion ₂:³[Li(³:³-C₁₂H₈)]₂. Two lithium atoms in complex 1 are located between two coplanar acenaphthylene ligands of the ₂:³[Li(³:³-C₁₂H₈)]₂ ^2– dianion and are ³-coordinated with the five- and six-membered rings. The lanthanum complex with the acenaphthylene dianion [LaI₂(THF)₃]₂(₂-C₁₂H₈) (2) was synthesized by the reduction of acenaphthylene in THF with the lanthanum(iii) complex [LaI₂(THF)₃]₂(₂-C₁₀H₈) containing the naphthalene dianion. The ¹H NMR spectrum of complex 2 in THF-d₈ exhibits four signals of the acenaphthylene dianion, whose strong upfield shifts compared to those of free acenaphthylene indicate the dianionic character of the ligand. The highest upfield chemical shift belongs to the proton bound to the C atom on which, according to calculation, the maximum negative charge is concentrated.     

A neutron diffraction study of the d and d lithium garnets Li3Nd3W2O12 and Li5La3Sb2O12

The garnets Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ and Li₅La₃Sb₂O₁₂ have been prepared by heating the component oxides and hydroxides in air at temperatures up to 950 °C. Neutron powder diffraction has been used to examine the lithium distribution in these phases. Both compounds crystallise in the space group with lattice parameters a=12.46869(9) Å (Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂) and a=12.8518(3) Å (Li₅La₃Sb₂O₁₂). Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ contains lithium on a filled, tetrahedrally coordinated 24d site that is occupied in the conventional garnet structure. Li₅La₃Sb₂O₁₂ contains partial occupation of lithium over two crystallographic sites. The conventional tetrahedrally coordinated 24d site is 79.3(8)% occupied. The remaining lithium is found in oxide octahedra which are linked via a shared face to the tetrahedron. This lithium shows positional disorder and is split over two positions within the octahedron and occupies 43.6(4)% of the octahedra. Comparison of these compounds with related d⁰ and d¹⁰ phases shows that replacement of a d⁰ cation with d¹⁰ cation of the same charge leads to an increase in the lattice parameter due to polarisation effects.     

Transport Properties of Solid Electrolytes: Effect of the Isotope Composition of Lithium Charge Carriers

The isotope composition of lithium charge carriers is experimentally found to severely affect transport in solid electrolytes -Li₃BO₃, Li₃N, Li₃AlN₂, Li₅SiN₃, Li₆MoN₄, Li₆WN₄, and LiCl. The lithium cation conduction of these decreases with increasing content of ⁶Li or ⁷Li and reaches a minimum at [⁶Li] = [⁷Li]. The activation energy for conduction increases, reaches a maximum in the same compositions, and then diminishes. Rates of spin–lattice relaxation of ⁷Li nuclei in electrolytes are studied by an NMR method at 15–35 MHz. The calculated activation energy for short-range motion (to one interatom distance) of lithium charge carriers in crystal lattices of electrolytes is lower than that for ionic conduction by 2–3 times, which is attributed to two types of correlation (electrostatic, isotopic) of charge carriers.     

Lithium Intercalation into Nanostructured Films Based on Oxides of Tin and Titanium

The lithium intercalation into nanostructured films of mixed tin and titanium oxides is studied. X-ray diffraction and Moessbauer spectroscopy analyses reveal that films consist of a rutile solid solution (Sn, Ti)O₂ and an amorphous tin oxide enriched with Sn²⁺ ions. The films specific capacity during the first cathodic polarization in a 1 M lithium imide solution in dioxolane is 200–700 mA h/g, of which nearly one half is the irreversible capacity. During the second cycle, the latter is 15% of that in the first cycle. As the films are thin (<1 m), their capacity does not depend on the current density at 1–80 mA/g. During the electrode cycling, the capacity decreases by 2 mA h/g each cycle. The effective lithium diffusion coefficient, determined by a pulsed galvanostatic method, is 10^–11 cm²/s; it slightly increases with the film lithiation. During the first cycle, the amorphous phase of oxides is reduced to tin metal, the solid solution (Sn, Ti)O₂ decomposes, SnO₂ disperses to become an x-ray amorphous phase, and TiO₂ precipitates as a rutile phase. Lithium reversibly incorporates into the tin metal, yielding Li _y Sn, and into a disperse SnO₂ phase, yielding Li _x SnO₂.     

Li6PO5Br and Li6PO5Cl: The first Lithium‐Oxide‐Argyrodites

The title compounds Li₆PO₅Br (Fand Li₆PO₅Cl (F represent the first oxidic argyrodites in general and the first lithiumoxoargyrodites in particular. The overall crystal structure corresponds to the cubic high temperature (HT) modification of all known cubic argyrodites, however, with a seemingly small but important difference concerning the lithium positions. In all other HT argyrodites with similar lithium content the 24 lithium atoms per unit cell are disordered over a 48 fold position in close vicinity to a 24 fold one causing a high mobility of the Li⁺. In the title compounds, however, they occupy the 24 fold one in a strictly ordered manner thus establishing a planar triangular first sphere coordination environment. This detail is of great importance for the amount of the specific lithium ionic conductivity and for the possible phase transition to an LT (low temperature) modification accompanied by an ordering of the disordered lithium atoms. Apparently the latter transition is suppressed in the title compounds because the Li⁺ are already frozen out in the cubic (HT = LT) form. The initially open question how this structural peculiarity influences the ionic conductivity (strengthening or weakening in comparison to oxygen free argyrodites?) is answered by a series of impedance measurements. The specific lithium ionic conductivity of the title compounds in the range 313 K < T < 518 K is significantly lower than in oxygen free argyrodites.     

Interaction of tin (IV) chloride with sulfolane and between tin (IV) chloride and lithium chloride in sulfolane solution

Tin (IV) chloride reacts with sulfolane (S) to form a cis-octahedral adduct SnCl₄·S₂. Solutions of lithium chloride and tin (IV) chloride in sulfolane contain the complex ions SnCl ₅ ^– and SnCl ₆ ^2– at 11 and 21 mole ratios of constituents, respectively. The complexes are characterized by conductimetry and by Mössbauer, IR, and Raman spectroscopy.     

Direct fabrication of anatase TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> hollow microspheres for applications in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and lithium storage

Hollow titanium dioxide (TiO₂) microspheres were synthesized in one step by employing tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TBOT) as a precursor through a facile solvothermal method in the presence of NH₄HCO₃. XRD analysis indicated that anatase TiO₂ can be obtained directly without further annealing. TiO₂ hollow microspheres with diameters in the range of 1.0–4.0 μm were confirmed through SEM and TEM measurements. The specific surface area was measured to be 180 m² g^?1 according to the nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. Superior photocatalytic performance and good lithium storage properties were achieved for resultant TiO₂ samples. The H₂ evolution rate of the optimal sample is about 0.66 mmol h^?1 after loaded with 1 wt.% Pt (20 mg samples). The reversible capacity remained 143 mAh g^?1 at a specific current of 300 mA g^?1 after 100 charge–discharge cycles. This work provides a facile strategy for the preparation of hollow titanium dioxide microspheres and demonstrates their promising photocatalytic H₂ evolution and the lithium storage properties.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract Hollow titanium dioxide spheres are directly synthesized via a facile template-free solvothermal method with the presence of NH₄HCO₃ based on inside-out Ostwald ripening (see picture), and demonstrated both as a photocatalyst for water splitting and a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Superior photocatalytic performance and excellent lithium storage properties are achieved for resultant TiO₂ hollow microspheres.

     

FT-Raman Study of Ionic Interactions in Lithium and Silver Tetrafluoroborate Solutions in Acrylonitrile

Solutions of silver and lithium tetrafluoroborate in acrylonitrile, over a range ofconcentrations between 0.5 and 4 mol-kg^–1, have been studied byFourier-transform Raman spectroscopy. The spectral regions studied include the solvent(C=dN) fundamental and the anion B-F symmetric stretching band. In AgBF₄solutions the absence of ionic pairing was demonstrated and the anion ₁(A ₁)remains as a single narrow band located at 764.7±0.1 cm^–1. Consequently, thesilver ion solvation number does not change in the range of concentrations studied,having a constant value of 3.54±0.10. However, a high level of ionic pairingwas observed in the corresponding solutions of LiBF₄. Three components weredetected in the tetrafluoroborate ₁(A ₁) band located at 766.0±0.4, 773.4±1.1,and 782.7±0.9 cm^–1, and assigned to spectroscopically free anions, ion pairs,and dimers, respectively. The solvation number of the lithium ion, which shouldbe three in the limit of infinite dilution, decreases as the salt concentrationincreases as a result of the ionic pairing. However, the ionic pairing of LiBF₄ inacrylonitrile is less than that previously observed in lithiumtrifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate) or lithium perchlorate.     

Hydrogen‐Release Mechanisms in Lithium Amidoboranes

Hydrogen storage : In lithium amidoboranes an initial molecule of H₂ is released by the formation of LiH, followed by a redox reaction of the dihydrogen bond formed between LiH^δ? and NH^δ+. In this dehydrogenation process, an intermolecular N? B bond forms through the catalytic effect of a Li cation. After releasing the first molecule of H₂, a Li cation binds to a nitrogen atom, lowering the energy barrier for the second H₂ loss per lithium amidoborane dimer (see figure).

     

Crystal and Molecular Structure of the Nitramino Derivatives of Tetrazole and 1,2,4-Triazole. III. 5-Nitraminotetrazole Lithium Salt Monohydrate

The structure of 5-nitraminotetrazole lithium salt monohydrate was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P2₁/c; a = 8.3789(5), b = 10.1872(6), c = 6.6709(5) ; = 106.63(1)°; V = 545.60(98) ³; Z = 4; _calc = 1.875 g/cm³. The anion has a planar nitrimine structure with a delocalized negative charge. Each lithium cation (c.n. 5) is bound to three anions and two hydration water molecules. Both oxygen atoms of the nitro groups and the N(3) atom of the tetrazole ring are involved in cation coordination. The geometrical characteristics of the anion are similar to those found for other monosalts of 5-nitraminotetrazole.     

Reduction of 1-chloro-1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenylsilole: formation of silole monoanion and dianion

The reduction of 1-chloro-1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenylsilole, (C₄Ph₄SiPhCl, 1) with 2 equiv lithium gave the pentaphenylsilole anion [C₄Ph₄SiPh]⁻ (2), silole dianion [C₄Ph₄Si]²⁻ (3), and hexaphenylsilole C₄Ph₄SiPh₂ (4). 2, 3, and 4 from the reaction mixture were characterized by ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy. The ²⁹Si chemical shift of 3.7 ppm for 2 is shifted upfield as compared to that of previously reported t -butyltetraphenylsilole anion Li[C₄Ph₄SitBu], but shifted downfield compared to that of the other silole monoanion such as Li[C₄Me₄SiSiMe₃], indicating the delocalization of silole anion through the 5-membered ring. Derivatization of the reaction mixture with iodomathane gave C₄Ph₄SiPh₂ (4), C₄Ph₄SiMePh (5), and C₄Ph₄SiMe₂ (6), which were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, and ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy. The silole dianion 3 could be either from the continuous reduction of 1 with lithium or from the disproportionation of 2. The reduction of 1 with excess lithium in THF gave the silole dianion [C₄Ph₄Si]²⁻ in about 70% yield.