Lithium chloride 1286190 224997454 2008-07-11T11:20:26Z Puppy8800 5404759 iw {{Chembox new | Name = '''Lithium chloride''' | ImageFile1 = Lithium chloride.jpg | ImageSize1 = 150px | ImageName1 = Lithium chloride | ImageFile2 = Lithium-chloride-3D-ionic.png | ImageSize2 = 150px | ImageName2 = Lithium chloride | IUPACName = Lithium Chloride | Section1 = {{Chembox Identifiers | CASOther = [7447-41-8]<br />[404596-80-1] | PubChem = 4933294 | RTECS = OJ5950000}} | Section2 = {{Chembox Properties | Formula = [[Lithium|Li]][[Chlorine|Cl]] (anhydrous)<br />LiCl•3[[Water|H<sub>2</sub>O]] (trihydrate) | MolarMass = 42.394(4) gmol<sup>-1</sup> (anhydrous)<br />96.440(5)gmol<sup>-1</sup> (trihydrate) | Appearance = white solid | Density = 2.07 gcm<sup>-3</sup> (anhydrous) | Solvent = water | SolubleOther = 820 g.L<sup>-1</sup> (20 °C) | MeltingPt = 605 °C (878 K) | BoilingPt = >1300 °C (>1570 K)}} | Section3 = {{Chembox Structure | MolShape = Linear | Coordination = Octahedral | Dipole = 7.13 D (gas)}} | Section3 = {{Chembox Hazards | NFPA-H = 1 | NFPA-R = 0 | NFPA-F = 0 | RPhrases = {{R22}}, {{R36}}, {{R37}}, {{R38}} | SPhrases = {{S26}}, {{S36}}, {{S37}}, {{S39}} }} | Section4 = {{Chembox Related | OtherAnions = [[Lithium fluoride]]<br />[[Lithium bromide]]<br />[[Lithium iodide]] | OtherCations = [[Sodium chloride]]<br />[[Potassium chloride]]<br />[[Rubidium chloride]]<br />[[Caesium chloride]]}} }} '''Lithium chloride''' is a [[chemical compound]] with the [[chemical formula|formula]] [[Lithium|Li]][[Chlorine|Cl]]. The [[salt (chemistry)|salt]] is a typical [[ionic compound]], although the small size of the Li<sup>+</sup> ion gives rise to properties not seen for other alkali metal chlorides, such as extraordinary solubility in polar [[solvent]]s (83g/100 mL of water at 20 °C) and its [[hygroscopic]] properties.<ref name=Ullmann>Ulrich Wietelmann, Richard J. Bauer "Lithium and Lithium Compounds" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2005, Wiley-VCH: Weinheim.</ref> ==Chemical properties== The salt forms crystalline [[water of crystallization|hydrates]], unlike the other alkali metal chlorides.<ref>Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. "Inorganic Chemistry" Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.</ref> Mono-, tri-, and pentahydrates are known.<ref>Andreas Hönnerscheid, Jürgen Nuss, Claus Mühle, Martin Jansen "Die Kristallstrukturen der Monohydrate von Lithiumchlorid und Lithiumbromid" Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie, 2003, volume 629, p. 312-316.{{DOI| 10.1002/zaac.200390049}}</ref> It also absorbs up to four equivalents of [[ammonia]]. As with any other ionic chlorides, solutions of lithium chloride serves as a source of [[chloride]] ion, e.g. forming a precipitate upon treatment as [[silver nitrate]]: : LiCl + AgNO<sub>3</sub> → AgCl + LiNO<sub>3</sub> ==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. To minimize [[hydrolysis]], 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/[[potassium chloride|KCl]] melt at 600 °[[celsius|C]]. LiCl is also used as a brazing [[Flux (metallurgy)|flux]] for [[aluminium]] in [[automobile]] parts. It is used as a desiccant for drying air streams.<ref name=Ullmann/> 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.<ref>{{cite journal | author= Cathala, G., Savouret, J., Mendez, B., West, B.L., Karin, M., Martial, J.A., and Baxter, J.D. | title = A Method for Isolation of Intact, Translationally Active Ribonucleic Acid | journal = DNA | year = 1983 | volume = 2 | issue = 4 | pages = 329–335 | pmid = 6198133 }}</ref> ==Precautions== Lithium salts affects the [[central nervous system]]; see [[lithium pharmacology]] for more details. For a short time in the 1940s lithium chloride was manufactured as a substitute for salt, but this was prohibited after the toxic effects of the compound were recognized.<ref>{{cite journal | author= Talbott J. H. | title = Use of lithium salts as a substitute for sodium chloride | journal = Arch Med Interna. | year = 1950 | volume = 85 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–10 | pmid = 15398859 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | author= L. W. Hanlon, M. Romaine, F. J. Gilroy. | title = Lithium Chloride as a Substitute for Sodium Chloride in the Diet | journal = Journal of the American Medical Association | year = 1949 | volume = 139 | issue = 11 | pages = 688–692 | doi = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | publisher = [[TIME]] | title = Case of trie Substitute Salt | date = 28 Feb 1949 | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,799873,00.html}}</ref> ==References== * ''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. <references/> [[Category:Chlorides]] [[Category:Lithium compounds]] [[Category:Metal halides]] [[bs:Litijum hlorid]] [[ca:Clorur de liti]] [[de:Lithiumchlorid]] [[es:Cloruro de litio]] [[fa:لیتیم کلرید]] [[fr:Chlorure de lithium]] [[gl:Cloruro de litio]] [[it:Cloruro di litio]] [[la:Lithii chloridum]] [[ja:塩化リチウム]] [[pt:Cloreto de lítio]] [[zh:氯化锂]]