Lithium nitride
| Lithium nitride | |
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Lithium nitride |
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Other names
Trilithium nitride |
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| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 26134-62-3  |
| EC number | 247-475-2 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:30525  |
| Jmol-3D images | Image 1 |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | Li3N |
| Molar mass | 34.83 g/mol |
| Appearance | red, purple solid |
| Density | 1.270 g/cm3 |
| Melting point |
813 °C, 1086 K, 1495 °F |
| Solubility in water | reacts |
| log P | 3.24 |
| Hazards | |
| EU Index | Not listed |
| Main hazards | reacts with water to release ammonia |
| Related compounds | |
| Other anions | Lithium oxide |
| Other cations | Sodium nitride |
| Related compounds | Lithium amide |
 (verify) (what is:  / ?)Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
Lithium nitride is a compound with the formula Li3N. It is the only stable alkali metal nitride. The solid is a red or purple color and has a high melting point.[1]
Contents |
Preparation and handling [edit]
Lithium nitride is prepared by direct combination of elemental lithium with nitrogen gas:[2]
- 6 Li + N2 → 2 Li3N
Instead of burning lithium metal in an atmosphere of nitrogen, a solution of lithium in liquid sodium metal can be treated with N2. Lithium nitride reacts violently with water to produce ammonia:
- Li3N + 3 H2O → 3 LiOH + NH3
Structure [edit]
Li3N has an unusual crystal structure that consists of two types of layers, one sheet has the composition Li2N− contains 6-coordinate Li centers and the other sheet consists only of lithium cations.[3]
The hypothetical nitride ion, N3−, would be an extremely strong Brønsted base, easily qualifying as a superbase. It is, in fact, a stronger base than the hydride ion, and so deprotonates hydrogen:
- Li3N + 2 H2 → LiNH2 + 2 LiH
Lithium nitride has been investigated as a storage medium for hydrogen gas, as the reaction is reversible at 270 °C. Up to 11.5% by weight absorption of hydrogen has been achieved.[4]
References [edit]
- ^ Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth–Heinemann. ISBN 0080379419.
- ^ E. Döneges "Lithium Nitride" in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry, 2nd Ed. Edited by G. Brauer, Academic Press, 1963, NY. Vol. 1. p. 984.
- ^ Barker M.G., Blake A.J, Edwards P.P., Gregory D.H., Hamor T. A., Siddons D. J., Smith S. E. (1999). "Novel layered lithium nitridonickelates; effect of Li vacancy concentration on N co-ordination geometry and Ni oxidation state". Chem. Commun. (13): 1187–1188. doi:10.1039/a902962a.
- ^ Ping Chen, Zhitao Xiong, Jizhong Luo, Jianyi Lin and Kuang Lee Tan (2002). "Interaction of hydrogen with metal nitrides and amides". Nature 420 (6913): 302–304. doi:10.1038/nature01210. PMID 12447436.
See also [edit]
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