LITHIUM METHOXIDE Chemical Properties

Melting point:

500°C

Boiling point:

64.6 °C

Density 

0.85 g/mL at 20 °C

Flash point:

52 °F

storage temp. 

Flammables area

solubility 

Soluble in methanol.

form 

powder

color 

White

Specific Gravity

0.85

Hydrolytic Sensitivity

7: reacts slowly with moisture/water

Sensitive 

Moisture Sensitive

BRN 

3552389

Stability:

Stable, but reacts violently with water. Highly flammable. Store under dry inert gas.

CAS DataBase Reference

865-34-9(CAS DataBase Reference)

EPA Substance Registry System

Methanol, lithium salt (865-34-9)

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

F,T,C

Risk Statements 

14-17-34-39/23/24/25-36/38-23/24/25-11

Safety Statements 

8-16-26-43-45-36/37/39-36/37

RIDADR 

UN 3274 3/PG 2

WGK Germany 

3

F 

3-10-23

TSCA 

Yes

HazardClass 

4.2

PackingGroup 

II

HS Code 

29051990

MSDS

• Language:English Provider:SigmaAldrich
• Language:English Provider:ACROS
• Language:English Provider:ALFA

LITHIUM METHOXIDE Usage And Synthesis

Preparation

Lithium methoxide (3 cm3, 3mmol of 1.0M solution in methanol) was added to  (11) (1.0 g, 2.8 mmol) in methanol (15 cm3) at 0 °C, with stirring, under an atmosphere  of nitrogen. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 67 h, then water (20 cm3)  was added and the mixture extracted into dichloromethane (DCM). The DCM solution  was dried (MgS04) and evaporated giving a solid ( 1.1 g) shown to consist of 4- methoxy-3,5-difluoro-2,6-dibromopyridine (22g) ( 19% ), 2,6-dibromo-4,5-dimethoxy-3- fluoropyridine (22h) (5%), (23b) (39% by comparison with authentic sample) and (23a)  (36%). Neither column chromatography (eluting DCM and petrol 7: 3) nor preparative  scale GLC ( 10% SE30, 140 oC) gave adequate separation of the products. However, a  carbon nmr spectrum and GCMS of a mixture of (22g) and (23b) was obtained and the  carbon spectra was assigned by comparison with that of (23b ).

Chemical Properties

Lithium Methoxide [865-34-9], LiOCH3, Mr 37.98, is a white solid that is soluble in methanol but virtually insoluble in aprotic organic solvents. It is commercially available as a 99 % fine crystalline solid and as 10 % solution in methanol. It can be used as base, especially as catalyst for transesterification reactions.

Uses

Lithium methoxide is used in sol-gel synthesis of lithium borophosphates. It is also useful for deprotonation reactions in organic synthesis. Further, it serves as a mild base in organic synthesis especially in transesterifications.

Uses

Employed in sol-gel synthesis of lithium borophosphates.

Purification Methods

The most probable impurity is LiOH due to hydrolysis by moisture. It is important to keep the sample dry. It can be dried by keeping in a vacuum at 60-80o under dry N2 using an oil pump for a few hours. Store it under N2 in the cold. It should not have bands above 3000cm-1, IR has  1078, 2790, 2840 and 2930cm-1 in KBr. [Suebold J Org Chem 21 1561956, Beilstein 1 IV 1220, 1241.]

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