Lithium perchlorate

Lithium perchlorate
IUPAC name	Lithium perchlorate
Other names	Perchloric acid, lithium salt
Identifiers
CAS number	7791-03-9 Y
PubChem	23665649
Properties
Molecular formula	LiClO4
Molar mass	106.39 g/mol
Appearance	white crystals
Density	2.42 g/cm3, solid
Melting point	236 °C
Boiling point	430 °C (with decomp.)
Solubility in water	60 g/100 mL
Solubility in organic solvents	Soluble
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of formation ΔfHo298	-3.581 kJ/g
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
Main hazards	Oxidizer, irritant
NFPA 704	1 0 2 OX
Related compounds
Other anions	Lithium chloride Lithium hypochlorite Lithium chlorate
Other cations	Sodium perchlorate Potassium perchlorate Caesium perchlorate
Y (what is this?)  (verify) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Lithium perchlorate is the chemical compound with the formula LiClO₄. This white crystalline salt is noteworthy for its high solubility in many solvents. It exists both in anhydrous form and as a trihydrate.

Uses

Lithium perchlorate is used as a source of oxygen in some chemical oxygen generators. It decomposes at about 400 °C, yielding lithium chloride and oxygen, the latter being over 60% of its mass. It has both the highest oxygen to weight and oxygen to volume ratio of all perchlorates, which makes it especially advantageous in aerospace applications.

LiClO₄ is highly soluble in organic solvents, even diethyl ether. Such solutions are employed in the Diels-Alder reactions, where it is proposed that the Lewis acidic Li⁺ binds to substituents on the diene, thereby accelerating the reaction.^[1]

Lithium perchlorate is also extensively used as an electrolyte in lithium batteries, as it does not undergo oxidization on the anode.

Concentrated solutions of lithium perchlorate (4.5 mol/l) are used as a chaotropic agent to denature proteins.

Lithium perchlorate is also used as a co-catalyst in the coupling of α,β-unsaturated carbonyls with aldehydes, also known as the Baylis-Hillman reaction.^[2]

Production

Lithium perchlorate can be manufactured by reaction of sodium perchlorate with lithium chloride. It can be also prepared by electrolysis of lithium chlorate at 200 mA/cm² at temperatures above 20 °C.^{[citation needed]}

Safety

Perchlorates often give explosive mixtures with organic compounds.

References

1. ^ Charette, A. B. "Lithium Perchlorate" in Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (Ed: L. Paquette) 2004, J. Wiley & Sons, New York. DOI: 10.1002/047084289.
2. ^ [1] Lithium Perchlorate Product Detail Page