Lithium chloride

Lithium chloride is a chemical compound with the formula LiCl. The salt is a typical ionic compound (with certain covalent characters) , although the small size of the Li⁺ ion gives rise to properties not seen for other alkali metal chlorides, such as extraordinary solubility in polar solvents (83.05 g/100 mL of water at 20 °C) and its hygroscopic properties.[5]

Lithium chloride

__ Li^+     __ Cl^−
Names
Preferred IUPAC name Lithium chloride
Systematic IUPAC name Lithium(1+) chloride
Identifiers
CAS Number	7447-41-8^Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:48607^Y
ChEMBL	ChEMBL69710^N
ChemSpider	22449^Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.028.375
EC Number	231-212-3
MeSH	Lithium+chloride
PubChem CID	433294
RTECS number	OJ5950000
UNII	G4962QA067^Y
UN number	2056
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID2025509
InChI InChI=1S/ClH.Li/h1H;/q;+1/p-1^N Key: KWGKDLIKAYFUFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-M^N InChI=1S/ClH.Li/h1H;/q;+1/p-1 Key: KWGKDLIKAYFUFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-M InChI=1/ClH.Li/h1H;/q;+1/p-1 Key: KWGKDLIKAYFUFQ-REWHXWOFAB
SMILES [Li+].[Cl-]
Properties
Chemical formula	LiCl
Molar mass	42.39 g·mol^−1
Appearance	white solid hygroscopic, sharp
Density	2.068 g/cm^3
Melting point	605–614 °C (1,121–1,137 °F; 878–887 K)
Boiling point	1,382 °C (2,520 °F; 1,655 K)
Solubility in water	68.29 g/100 mL (0 °C) 74.48 g/100 mL (10 °C) 84.25 g/100 mL (25 °C) 88.7 g/100 mL (40 °C) 123.44 g/100 mL (100 °C)[1]
Solubility	soluble in hydrazine, methylformamide, butanol, selenium(IV) oxychloride, propanol[1]
Solubility in methanol	45.2 g/100 g (0 °C) 43.8 g/100 g (20 °C) 42.36 g/100 g (25 °C)[2] 44.6 g/100 g (60 °C)[1]
Solubility in ethanol	14.42 g/100 g (0 °C) 24.28 g/100 g (20 °C) 25.1 g/100 g (30 °C) 23.46 g/100 g (60 °C)[2]
Solubility in formic acid	26.6 g/100 g (18 °C) 27.5 g/100 g (25 °C)[1]
Solubility in acetone	1.2 g/100 g (20 °C) 0.83 g/100 g (25 °C) 0.61 g/100 g (50 °C)[1]
Solubility in liquid ammonia	0.54 g/100 g (-34 °C)[1] 3.02 g/100 g (25 °C)
Vapor pressure	1 torr (785 °C) 10 torr (934 °C) 100 torr (1130 °C)[1]
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−24.3·10^−6 cm^3/mol
Refractive index (nD)	1.662 (24 °C)
Viscosity	0.87 cP (807 °C)[1]
Structure
Coordination geometry	Octahedral
Molecular shape	Linear (gas)
Dipole moment	7.13 D (gas)
Thermochemistry
Heat capacity (C)	48.03 J/mol·K[1]
Std molar entropy (S^o298)	59.31 J/mol·K[1]
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH^⦵298)	-408.27 kJ/mol[1]
Gibbs free energy (ΔfG˚)	-384 kJ/mol[1]
Hazards
Safety data sheet	See: data page ICSC 0711
GHS pictograms	[3]
GHS Signal word	Warning
GHS hazard statements	H302, H315, H319, H335[3]
GHS precautionary statements	P261, P305+351+338[3]
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	0 2 0
Flash point	Non-flammable
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
LD50 (median dose)	526 mg/kg (oral, rat)[4]
Related compounds
Other anions	Lithium fluoride Lithium bromide Lithium iodide Lithium astatide
Other cations	Sodium chloride Potassium chloride Rubidium chloride Caesium chloride Francium chloride
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	Refractive index (n), Dielectric constant (εr), etc.
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour solid–liquid–gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
N verify (what is ^YN ?)
Infobox references

Chemical properties

Color produced when lithium chloride is heated

The salt forms crystalline hydrates, unlike the other alkali metal chlorides.[6] Mono-, tri-, and pentahydrates are known.[7] The anhydrous salt can be regenerated by heating the hydrates. LiCl also absorbs up to four equivalents of ammonia/mol. As with any other ionic chloride, solutions of lithium chloride can serve as a source of chloride ion, e.g., forming a precipitate upon treatment with silver nitrate:

LiCl + AgNO₃ → AgCl + LiNO₃

Preparation

Lithium chloride is produced by treatment of lithium carbonate with hydrochloric acid. It can in principle also be generated by the highly exothermic reaction of lithium metal with either chlorine or anhydrous hydrogen chloride gas. Anhydrous LiCl is prepared from the hydrate by heating with a stream of hydrogen chloride.

Uses

Lithium chloride is mainly used for the production of lithium metal by electrolysis of a LiCl/KCl melt at 450 °C (842 °F). LiCl is also used as a brazing flux for aluminium in automobile parts. It is used as a desiccant for drying air streams.[5] In more specialized applications, lithium chloride finds some use in organic synthesis, e.g., as an additive in the Stille reaction. Also, in biochemical applications, it can be used to precipitate RNA from cellular extracts.[8]

Lithium chloride is also used as a flame colorant to produce dark red flames.

Lithium chloride is used as a relative humidity standard in the calibration of hygrometers. At 25 °C (77 °F) a saturated solution (45.8%) of the salt will yield an equilibrium relative humidity of 11.30%. Additionally, lithium chloride can itself be used as a hygrometer. This deliquescent salt forms a self-solution when exposed to air. The equilibrium LiCl concentration in the resulting solution is directly related to the relative humidity of the air. The percent relative humidity at 25 °C (77 °F) can be estimated, with minimal error in the range 10–30 °C (50–86 °F), from the following first order equation: RH=107.93-2.11C, where C is solution LiCl concentration, percent by mass.

Molten LiCl is used for the preparation of carbon nanotubes,[9] graphene[10] and lithium niobate.[11]

Lithium chloride has been shown to have strong acaricidal properties, being effective against Varroa destructor in populations of honey bees.[12]

Precautions

Lithium salts affect the central nervous system in a variety of ways. While the citrate, carbonate, and orotate salts are currently used to treat bipolar disorder, other lithium salts including the chloride were used in the past. For a short time in the 1940s lithium chloride was manufactured as a salt substitute, but this was prohibited after the toxic effects of the compound were recognized.[13][14][15]

See also

• Lithium chloride (data page)
• Solubility table

References

1. lithium chloride
2. Seidell, Atherton; Linke, William F. (1952). Solubilities of Inorganic and Organic Compounds. Van Nostrand. Retrieved 2014-06-02.
3. Sigma-Aldrich Co., Lithium chloride. Retrieved on 2014-05-09.
4. ChemIDplus - 7447-41-8 - KWGKDLIKAYFUFQ-UHFFFAOYSA-M - Lithium chloride - Similar structures search, synonyms, formulas, resource links, and other chemical information
5. Ulrich Wietelmann, Richard J. Bauer "Lithium and Lithium Compounds" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2005, Wiley-VCH: Weinheim.
6. Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. Inorganic Chemistry Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.
7. Hönnerscheid Andreas; Nuss Jürgen; Mühle Claus; Jansen Martin (2003). "Die Kristallstrukturen der Monohydrate von Lithiumchlorid und Lithiumbromid". Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie. 629 (2): 312–316. doi:10.1002/zaac.200390049.
8. Cathala, G.; Savouret, J.; Mendez, B.; West, B. L.; Karin, M.; Martial, J. A.; Baxter, J. D. (1983). "A Method for Isolation of Intact, Translationally Active Ribonucleic Acid". DNA. 2 (4): 329–335. doi:10.1089/dna.1983.2.329. PMID 6198133.
9. Kamali, Ali Reza; Fray, Derek J. (2014). "Towards large scale preparation of carbon nanostructures in molten LiCl". Carbon. 77: 835–845. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2014.05.089.
10. Kamali, Ali Reza; Fray, Derek J. (2015). "Large-scale preparation of graphene by high temperature insertion of hydrogen into graphite" (PDF). Nanoscale. 7 (26): 11310–11320. doi:10.1039/c5nr01132a. PMID 26053881.
11. Kamali, Ali Reza; Fray, Derek J. (2014). "Preparation of lithium niobate particles via reactive molten salt synthesis method". Ceramics International. 40: 1835–1841. doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2013.07.085.
12. Ziegelmann, Bettina; Abele, Elisabeth (January 12, 2018). "Lithium chloride effectively kills the honey bee parasite Varroa destructor by a systemic mode of action" (PDF). Scientific Reports. 8 (1): 683. Bibcode:2018NatSR...8..683Z. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-19137-5. PMC 5766531. PMID 29330449.
13. Talbott J. H. (1950). "Use of lithium salts as a substitute for sodium chloride". Arch Intern Med. 85 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1001/archinte.1950.00230070023001. PMID 15398859.
14. L. J. Stone; M. luton; J. Gilroy (1949). "Lithium Chloride as a Substitute for Sodium Chloride in the Diet". Journal of the American Medical Association. 139 (11): 688–692. doi:10.1001/jama.1949.02900280004002. PMID 18128981.
15. "Case of trie Substitute Salt". Time. 28 February 1949.

• Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 71st edition, CRC Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1990.
• N. N. Greenwood, A. Earnshaw, Chemistry of the Elements, 2nd ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK, 1997.
• R. Vatassery, titration analysis of LiCl, sat'd in Ethanol by AgNO₃ to precipitate AgCl(s). EP of this titration gives %Cl by mass.
• H. Nechamkin, The Chemistry of the Elements, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1968.

External links