Lithium perchlorate

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.

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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. It has both the highest weight to oxygen 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.

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.