Lithium borohydride

Lithium borohydride
Unit cell of lithium borohydride at room temperature
Names
IUPAC name
Lithium tetrahydridoborate(1–)
Other names
Lithium hydroborate,
Lithium tetrahydroborate
Borate(1-), tetrahydro-, lithium, lithium boranate
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.037.277
RTECS number
  • ED2725000
UNII
  • InChI=1S/BH4.Li/h1H4;/q-1;+1 Y
    Key: UUKMSDRCXNLYOO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
  • InChI=1/BH4.Li/h1H4;/q-1;+1
    Key: UUKMSDRCXNLYOO-UHFFFAOYAS
  • [Li+].[BH4-]
Properties
LiBH4
Molar mass 21.784 g/mol
Appearance White solid
Density 0.666 g/cm3
Melting point 268 °C (514 °F; 541 K)
Boiling point 380 °C (716 °F; 653 K) decomposes
reacts
Solubility in ether 2.5 g/100 mL
Structure
orthorhombic
Pnma
a = 7.17858(4), b = 4.43686(2), c = 6.80321(4)
216.685(3) A3
4
[4]B
Thermochemistry
82.6 J/(mol⋅K)
75.7 J/(mol⋅K)
−198.83 kJ/mol
Hazards
> 180 °C (356 °F; 453 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Y verify (what is YN ?)
Infobox references

Lithium borohydride (LiBH4) is a borohydride and known in organic synthesis as a reducing agent for esters. Although less common than the related sodium borohydride, the lithium salt offers some advantages, being a stronger reducing agent and highly soluble in ethers, whilst remaining safer to handle than lithium aluminium hydride.