Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 2, 2026

A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents
Published on: November 12, 2016
Insights into the dehydrogenation reaction process of a K-containing Mg(NH2)2-2LiH system
Yongfeng Liu1, Yaxiong Yang, Xin Zhang
1State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Applications for Batteries of Zhejiang Province and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. hgpan@zju.edu.cn.
Abstract:
The thermal dehydrogenation process of the KOH-containing Mg(NH2)2-2LiH system was systematically investigated by identifying changes in the structure and composition of its components by XRD and FTIR. During ball milling, the added KOH reacts with Mg(NH2)2 and LiH to produce MgO, KH and Li2K(NH2)3. During the initial heating process (<120 °C), the newly formed KH and Li2K(NH2)3 react with Mg(NH2)2 and LiH to yield MgNH, LiNH2 and Li3K(NH2)4 along with hydrogen release. Raising the temperature to 185 °C results in a reaction between Mg(NH2)2, MgNH and LiH that gives Li2Mg2N3H3 as the product and further releases hydrogen. As the temperature is increased to 220 °C, Li2Mg2N3H3 reacts with LiNH2 and LiH to produce Li2MgN2H2 and H2. Meanwhile, two parallel reactions between Li2Mg2N3H3, Li3K(NH2)4 and LiH also generate additional hydrogen. Specifically, the KH and Li2K(NH2)3, formed in situ during ball milling, serve as reactants in the dehydrogenation reaction of the Mg(NH2)2-2LiH system, which is responsible for the significantly improved thermodynamics and kinetics of hydrogen storage.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Acid Halides to Ketones: Gilman Reagent
As shown below, the mechanism proceeds in two steps. First, one of the alkyl groups of the reagent acts as a nucleophile and attacks the acyl carbon of the acid chloride to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by the reformation of the carbon–oxygen...
Acid Halides to Alcohols: LiAlH4 Reduction
The mechanism proceeds in three steps. First, the nucleophilic hydride ion attacks the carbonyl carbon of the acid halide to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Next, the carbonyl group is re-formed, and the halide ion departs as a leaving group, generating an aldehyde. A second nucleophilic attack by the hydride yields an alkoxide ion, which, upon protonation, gives a primary alcohol as...
Nitriles to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
As shown below, the mechanism involves three steps. Firstly, the hydride ion acting as a nucleophile attacks the nitrile carbon to form an anion. In the second step, a second equivalent of the hydride ion attacks the anion to...
Aldehydes and Ketones to Alkanes: Wolff–Kishner Reduction
Amides to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
Amide reduction requires two equivalents of the reducing agent, acting as a source of hydride ions. As shown in the figure, the reaction is initiated with a nucleophilic attack by the hydride ion at the carbonyl carbon to form a tetrahedral intermediate.
Acid Halides to Alcohols: Grignard Reaction
Grignard reagents are a source of carbanions and function as nucleophiles. The mechanism begins with the nucleophilic attack by the carbanion at the carbonyl carbon of the acid halide to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Next, the carbonyl group is re-formed, and the halide ion departs,...

