Reindarstellung und Kristallstruktur von Lithiumnitridhydrid,Li4NH,Li4ND

Preparation and Crystal Structure of Lithium Nitride Hydride, Li₄NH, Li₄ND Single phase Li₄NH was prepared by the reaction of Li₃N and LiH at 490°C. Its structure has been solved from x-ray and time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction data. Li₄NH crystallizes in an ordered variant of the Li₂O structure. N and H occupy the sites of two interpenetrating “extended” diamond lattices. Li occupies all N₂H₂ tetrahedral voids and is found to be shifted into a N₂H tetrahedral face. As a result H is in compressed tetrahedral coordination by Li, while N is in bisdisphenoidal coordination by Li. Alternatively, the Li₄NH structure may be regarded as a [Li₄N]⁺threedimensional net, its voids being filled up with H^?. Li₄NH is a reactive solid, which decomposes to imide when in contact with N₂ or H₂ at some 400°C.