Lithium tritelluride

Lithium tritelluride is an intercalary compound of lithium and tellurium with empirical formula LiTe
₃. It is one of three known members of the Li-Te system, the others being the raw metals and lithium telluride (Li
₂Te).

Lithium tritelluride

Identifiers
CAS Number	39327-86-1 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
InChI InChI=1S/Li.3H2Te/h;3*1H2 Key: AVUONMXBLBDKIN-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES [Li].[Te].[Te].[Te]
Properties
Chemical formula	LiTe3
Molar mass	389.74 g·mol−1
Related compounds
Related compounds	lithium telluride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

LiTe₃ was first discovered in 1969 by researchers at the US Atomic Energy Commission.^[1] Research into the compound has been primarily driven by the possibility of using molten tellurium salts to cool a nuclear reactor.^[2][3][4]

Lithium tritelluride can be synthesized by heating a mixture of the appropriate stoichiometry. It is unstable below 304 °C; if left below that temperature, it will decompose, releasing tellurium vapor.^[2][3][4]

Structurally, lithium tritelluride is composed of parallel graphene-like planes of tellurium. Atoms in these planes are aligned to form "vertical" columns of tellurium; the lithium ions then form columns running through the center of each tellurium hexagon.^[5]