Lithium monoxide anion: a ground-state triplet with the strongest base to date.

Tian, Zhixin; Chan, Bun; Sullivan, Michael B; Radom, Leo; Kass, Steven R · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2008

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Lithium monoxide anion (LiO(-)) has been generated in the gas phase and is found to be a stronger base than methyl anion (CH(3)(-)). This makes LiO(-) the strongest base currently known, and it will be a challenge to produce a singly charged or multiply charged anion that is more basic. The experimental acidity of lithium hydroxide is DeltaH degrees (acid) = 425.7 +/- 6.1 kcal.mol(-1) (1 kcal = 4.184 kJ) and, when combined with results of high-level computations, leads to our best estimate for the acidity of 426 +/- 2 kcal.mol(-1).