Lithium imide

Lithium imide

Names
IUPAC name Lithium imide
Identifiers
CAS Number	12135-01-2
Properties
Chemical formula	Li2NH
Molar mass	28.897 g/mol
Density	1.48 g/cm^3
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Lithium imide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Li
2NH. This white solid can be formed by a reaction between lithium amide and lithium hydride.^[1]

LiNH₂ + LiH → Li₂NH + H₂

The product is light-sensitive and can undergo disproportionation to form lithium nitride, which is characteristically red.

2 Li₂NH → LiNH₂ + Li₃N

Lithium imide is thought to have a simple face-centered cubic structure with a Fm3m space group; with N-H bond distances of 0.82(6) Å and a H–N–H bond angle of 109.5°, giving it a similar structure to lithium amide.^[2][3]

Lithium imide is strongly basic and could have uses in organic and organometallic chemistry. It has been investigated as a material for hydrogen storage.^[1]

References

1. Ichikawa, Takayuki; Hanada, Nobuko; Isobe, Shigehito; Leng, Haiyan; Fujii, Hironobu (June 2004). "Mechanism of Novel Reaction from LiNH2 and LiH to Li2NH and H2 as a Promising Hydrogen Storage System". The Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 108 (23): 7887–7892. doi:10.1021/jp049968y.
2. Ohoyama, Kenji; Nakamori, Yuko; Orimo, Shin-ichi; Yamada, Kazuyoshi (15 January 2005). "Revised Crystal Structure Model of Li₂NH by Neutron Powder Diffraction". Journal of the Physical Society of Japan. 74 (1): 483–487. doi:10.1143/JPSJ.74.483.
3. Noritake, T.; Nozaki, H.; Aoki, M.; Towata, S.; Kitahara, G.; Nakamori, Y.; Orimo, S. (May 2005). "Crystal structure and charge density analysis of Li2NH by synchrotron X-ray diffraction". Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 393 (1-2): 264–268. doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2004.09.063.