The stability and structure of the hyperlithiated molecules Li3S and Li4S: An experimental and ab initio study

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The thermodynamical properties of the hyperlithiated molecules Li3S and Li4S were investigated by means of Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry and their stability and structure were studied through ab initio molecular orbital calculations. The Li3S and Li4S molecules were found to be stable toward loss of one or two lithium atoms, respectively, to form the octet molecule Li2S. The experimental dissociation energies were D00(Li2S–Li)=33.1±1.6 and D00(Li2S–2Li)=83.9±2.7 kcal/mol. The atomization energies were determined as D00(Li3S)=161.3±3.8 and D00(Li4S)=211.9±4.2 kcal/mol. The ionization potential observed for Li3S was 4.4±0.2 eV. From the theoretical calculations, the occupancies of nine valence electrons in Li3S (C3v) and ten valence electrons in Li4S (C2v) were seen as (5a1)2(3e)4(6a1)2(7a1)1 and (6a1)2(3b1)2(7a1)2(3b2)2(8a1)2, respectively. The singly occupied 7a1 orbital of Li3S and the highest occupied 8a1 orbital of Li4S were found to be involved in the formation of a lithium ‘‘cage,’’ which should contribute to the thermodynamic stability of these molecules.