Nomenclature
CAS number: 1310-65-2
Lithium hydroxide (Li(OH)); lithium hydrate.
HLiO; mol wt 23.95.
H 4.21%, Li 28.98%, O 66.80%.
LiOH.
Description and references
Prepn: Barnes, J.
Chem. Soc. 1931, 2605; Cohen, Inorg. Synth. 5, 3 (1957); Bravo, ibid. 7, 1 (1963). Review of
prepn, properties and uses: Oliver in Mellor's vol. II, supplement II, The Alkali Metals (part
1) 159-171 (1961). Review of synthetic applications: F. de Carvalho
da Silva, Synlett 2006, 1451-1452.
Properties
Granular, free-flowing powder; acrid, strongly
alkaline. Readily absorbs CO2 and water from air. d 2.54. mp 471°. Sol in water, slightly
sol in alcohol. Corrosive. Keep tightly closed.Derivative
Monohydrate.
LiOH.H
2O; mol wt 41.96.
Li 16.54%, O 76.26%, H 7.21%.
Properties
Small monoclinic crystals. d420 1.51. Heat of
formation 188.9 kcal/mol at 25°. Heat of soln 0.87 kcal/mol at
25°. Soly in water (w/w) at 0°: 10.7%; at 20°: 10.9%; at 100°:
14.8%. Slightly sol in alcohol. pH of a 1.0N soln about
14.Caution
Strongly alkaline and hence caustic.
Very irritating to skin. Systemic toxicity similar to other lithium
compds.
See Lithium.
Use
In photographic developers; in alkaline storage
batteries; in prepn of other lithium salts where use of carbonate
is not practical; as catalyst in the production of alkyd resins, in
esterifications. In the production of lithium soaps, sulfonates,
greases. Reagent in synthetic organic chemistry.