LITHIUM METHOXIDE

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.

The Uses of LITHIUM METHOXIDE

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.

The Uses of LITHIUM METHOXIDE

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.]