Coordination chemistry of lithium ion: a crystal and molecular structure review

• Published in: Chemical reviews 1991-03, Vol.91 (2), p.137-164
• Main Authors: Olsher, Uriel, Izatt, Reed M, Bradshaw, Jerald S, Dalley, N. Kent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ALCOHOLS; ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS; CARBOXYLIC ACIDS; CHEMICAL BONDS; COHERENT SCATTERING; COMPILED DATA; COMPLEXES; CRYSTAL STRUCTURE; DATA; DIFFRACTION; DOCUMENT TYPES; ETHERS; HYDRATES; HYDROXY COMPOUNDS; INFORMATION; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; KETONES; LITHIUM COMPLEXES; LITHIUM COMPOUNDS; MOLECULAR STRUCTURE; NUMERICAL DATA; ORGANIC ACIDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PHOSPHATES; PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS; REVIEWS; SCATTERING 400201 > Chemical & Physicochemical Properties; X-RAY DIFFRACTION
• ISSN: 0009-2665; 1520-6890
• DOI: 10.1021/cr00002a003

There has been much recent interest in lithium and lithium ionophores. This growing interest in lithium is mainly due to the actual and potential applications of Li[sup +] in science, medicine, and technology. In the present review article, a tabulation is given, based on X-ray crystallographic data, of the bond lengths, geometry, coordination numbers, and solvent of crystallization of Li[sup +] complexes. The data included in the review extend from the earliest publications through February 1990. The authors have attempted in the text to draw the reader's attention to the various parameters involved in lithium-ligand interaction such as ligand coordination sites, ligand conformation changes, stereochemical arrangement of ligand binding sites, counterion effects, and solvent effects. In addition, discussion is included of lithium selective ionophores and of the involvement of Li[sup +] in biological cycles. Appropriate examples taken from the tables of data are used to illustrate the text. The compounds included in the review are listed by formula and abbreviation in Charts 1--18. The approach the authors chose for this review is a structural one, centered on the examination of the three-dimensional crystal structures of lithium salts and complexes. The basic assumption is that the structures of these lithium complexes in the solid state resemble their structures in solution, and that similar structure-selectivity relationships exist, at least to some extent, in both media. 190 refs.