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• Introduction

  Lithium, the lightest of the alkali metals, has an atomic number of 3 and an atomic weight of 6.94. Lithium exhibits oxidation states of zero and plus one and is clearly an alkali metal. However, lithium and its compounds are not always typical of the other alkali metals. The high ionic charge density and the strong tendency for lithium to form a monopositive ion strongly influence the stability of lithium compounds and the type of bond which lithium forms with other atoms, ions and radicals. The unusually high charge density of the lithium ion is a crucial factor in setting lithium and its compounds apart from the other alkali metals and their compounds.
  
  Lithium has numerous industrial applications. It is used to make highenergy lithium batteries. Lithium and its aluminum alloys are used as anodes in non-aqueous solid-state batteries. Also, many of its salts are used as electrolytes in these batteries. Another major application is in metallurgy. Lithium is alloyed with lead, magnesium, aluminum and other metals. Its alloy Bahnmetall is used for wheel bearings in railroad cars, and its magnesium alloy is used in aerospace vehicles. Probably the most important applications of lithium are in preparative chemistry. It is the starting material to prepare lithium hydride, amide, nitride, alkyls and aryls. Lithium hydrides are effective reducing agents. The alkyls are used in organic syntheses. ;

• Physical Properties

  Soft silvery-white metal; body-centered cubic structure; density 0.531 g/cm3; burns with a carmine-red flame, evolving dense white fumes; melts at 180.54°C; vaporizes at 1,342°C; vapor pressure 1 torr at 745°C and 10 torr at 890°C; electrical resistivity 8.55 microhm-cm at 0°C and 12.7 microhm-cm at 100°C; viscosity 0.562 centipoise at 200°C and 0.402 centipoise at 400°C; reacts with water; soluble in liquid ammonia forming a blue solution. ;

• Uses

  Lithium is used as a starting material or chemical intermediate in a number of reactions. Both lithium hydride and lithium nitride, which are prepared by the direct combination of their elements. Other inorganic compounds of lithium may be prepared by the direct combination of the elements or by the reaction of lithium with an acid gas if an unusually high purity product is required. For example, extremely dry lithium sulfide can be prepared by the reaction of lithium metal with hydrogen sulfide. Such processes are hazardous and expensive and are generally avoided if possible. Lithium may be used in the preparation of both alkyl- and aryl-lithium compounds and lithium alkoxides.
  Lithium Metal as a Polymerization Catalyst, usually as a dispersion, has been used to polymerize such monomers as butadiene, isoprene, styrene and acrylates. It has also been used to produce copolymers. Lithium in High-strength Glass and Glass-ceramics The use of lithium compounds to manufacture high-strength glass and glass-ceramics has greatly increased within the past decade.

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• Production

  Lithium is obtained primarily from its ore, spodumene. Another important source is natural brine found in many surface and ground waters, from which the metal also is produced commercially. ;

• Reactions

  Lithium metal is highly reactive but less so than other alkali metals. Its chemical properties, however, are more like those of the alkaline earth metals. At ordinary temperatures, lithium does not react with dry oxygen.
  However, it reacts above 100°C, forming lithium oxide, Li2O:
  The metal ignites in air near its melting point, burning with intense white flame, forming Li2O.
  Lithium reacts with water forming lithium hydroxide with evolution of hydrogen:
  2Li + 2H2O → 2LiOH + H2
  The reaction is violent when lithium metal is in finely divided state. Lithium reacts violently with dilute acids, liberating hydrogen:
  Li + 2HCl → LiCl + H2
  Reaction with cold concentrated sulfuric acid is slow.
  The metal dissolves in liquid ammonia, forming a blue solution, lithium amide, LiNH2:
  2Li + 2NH3 → 2LiNH2 + H2
  The same product also is obtained from ammonia gas.
  Unlike other alkali metals, lithium reacts with nitrogen in the presence of moisture at ordinary temperatures, forming the black lithium nitride, Li3N: 6Li + N2 → 2Li3N
  The above reaction is exothermic.
  Lithium reacts with hydrogen at red heat forming lithium hydride:
  Reactions with sulfur and selenium in liquid ammonia yield lithium sulfide and selenide, respectively:
  The metal combines with chlorine and other halogens, forming their halides:
  Li + Cl2 → 2LiCl
  When heated with carbon at 800°C, the product is lithium carbide:
  2Li + 2C→Li2C2
  2Li + S→Li2S
  2Li + H2→2LiH
  Li + O2→2Li2O
  The metal reacts with carbon dioxide at elevated temperatures, forming lithium carbonate, Li2CO3. Lithium forms alloys with several metals including aluminum, calcium, copper, magnesium, mercury, sodium, potassium, silver, tin and zinc. It combines with phosphorus, arsenic and antimony on heating, forming their binary salts: The metal behaves as a reducing agent at high temperatures. It reduces aluminum chloride to aluminum and boron oxide to boron: Lithium liberates hydrogen from ethanol, forming lithium ethoxide: 2Li + 2C2H5OH → 2C2H5OLi + H2 Several organolithium compounds have important applications in organic syntheses. These may be readily synthesized by reactions of lithium with organics. The metal reacts with alkyl or aryl halides or mercury alkyls or aryls to produce alkyl or aryl lithium. ;

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