Lithium and its Compounds

Of the alkali metals lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium, elemental sodium and its compounds are the most important industrially, particularly the mineral and industrial heavy chemicals sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfate etc. In second place is potassium, which is as its salts (chloride, sulfate, nitrate, phosphate) an important component of mineral fertilizers. Lithium and its compounds have a much lower but steadily increasing importance. Cesium and rubidium are only utilized in very small quantities for special applications. 

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W. A. Hart and O. F. Beumel, Lithium and its compounds, Comprehen.tive Inorganic Chemistry. Vol. 1, Chap. 7, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1973. T. P. Whaley, Sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium and francium, ibid.. Chap. 8. 

Owing to uncertainties in the analysis methods, only general trends seem to warrant discussion. With butadiene, the 1,2/1,4 ratio increases in the series Li to Cs. In tetrahydrofuran the polymer is even more rich in 1,2 structures and varies little with the alkali metal or its compounds. With isoprene, only lithium and its compounds give a highly cis-1,4 polymer in hydrocarbons. Increasing amounts of the 3,4 structure occur with the other alkali metals. The amount of 1,4 polymer and its internal distribution is in doubt. In ethers the 3,4 polymer is the major constituent with all initiators. The N. M. R. data suggest the microstructure... 

Bywater, S., Polymerization Initiated by lithium and its Compounds. With 9 Figures.66... 

Bywater, S. Polymerization Initiated by Lithium and Its Compounds. Vol. 4, pp. 66-110. Bywater, S. Preparation and Properties of Star-branched Polymers. Vol. 30, pp. 89-116. 

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