General Description
White crystalline powder with an odor of ammonia. Denser than water.
Reactivity Profile
Powdered LITHIUM AMIDE is highly reactive. A strong base. Reacts to release toxic ammonia gas with water. Forms explosive peroxide on storage.
Health Hazard
Highly toxic: contact with water produces toxic gas, may be fatal if inhaled. Inhalation or contact with vapors, substance or decomposition products may cause severe injury or death. May produce corrosive solutions on contact with water. Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control may cause pollution.
Fire Hazard
Produce flammable and toxic gases on contact with water. May ignite on contact with water or moist air. Some react vigorously or explosively on contact with water. May be ignited by heat, sparks or flames. May re-ignite after fire is extinguished. Some are transported in highly flammable liquids. Containers may explode when heated. Runoff may create fire or explosion hazard.
Chemical Properties
white to grey fine powder
Physical properties
Colorless needles; tetragonal structure; density 1.178 g/cm3 at 17.5°C; melts around 375°C; starts to decompose at 320°C; decomposes at 400°C; soluble in cold water; decomposes in hot water; slightly soluble in ethanol and liquid ammonia; insoluble in benzene and ether.
Uses
In Claisen condensations, alkylation of nitriles and ketones, synthesis of ethynyl Compounds, acetylenic carbinols.
Uses
Lithium amide is used in the preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients and antioxidants. It acts as a catalyst for polymers, as nucleophiles and as strong bases. It serves as a reagent in the synthesis of antiinflamatory and preoresolving protectin D1, chemotype dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors and sterically congested triarylamines. It finds application in dyes displaying large stokes shifts. In addition to this, it is used as a reagent for cross-coupling of aryl chlorides and amine.
Uses
Reagent for synthesis of: Antiinflamatory and preoresolving protectin D11 Chemotype dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors2 Sterically congested triarylamines3 Dyes displaying large Stokes shifts4 GM1 ganglioside derivatives5Reagent for cross-coupling of aryl chlorides and amines6
Flammability and Explosibility
Substances and mixtureswhichincontactwithwateremitflammablegases
Purification Methods
Purify it by heating at 400o while NH3 is passed over it in the upper of two crucibles (the upper crucible is perforated). The LiNH2 will drip into the lower crucible through the holes in the upper crucible. The product is cooled in a stream of NH3. Protect it from air and moisture, store it under N2 in a clear glass bottle sealed with paraffin. Store it in small quantities so that all the material is used once the bottle is opened. If the colour of the amide is yellow, it should be destroyed as it is likely to have oxidised and to EXPLODE. On heating above 450o it is decomposed to Li2NH, which is stable up to 750-800o. [Schenk in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol I p 463 1963, Greenlee & Henne Inorg Synth II 135 1953.]
Ketones can be converted into alkynes:
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