Crystal structure of [bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphato-κO]tris-(methanol-κO)lithium methanol monosolvate

Crystals of the title compound, [Li{OOP(O-2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)2}(CH3OH)3]·CH3OH or [Li(C24H34O4P)(CH3OH)3]·CH3OH, have been formed in the reaction between HOOP(O-2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)2 and LiOH in methanol. The title compound is of inter-est as it represents the first reported crystal structure of the family of lithium phosphate diesters. The {Li(CH3OH)3[O2P(O-(i)Pr2C6H3)2]} unit displays the Li atom in a slightly distorted tetra-hedral coordination environment and exhibits one intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond between a coordinating methanol mol-ecule and the terminal non-coordinating O atom of the phosphate group. The unit is connected with two non-coordinating methanol mol-ecules through two inter-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and with a neighbouring unit through two other O-H⋯O inter-actions. These inter-molecular hydrogen bonds lead to the formation of infinite chains along [100]. There are no significant inter-actions between the chains.