Solvation dynamics of lithium salts in wet nitrobenzene

Dynamics of solvation of lithium salts in “wet” nitrobenzene was studied by 7Li NMR and by FTIR. Well-resolved NMR peaks corresponding to various solvatomers of Li have been observed in solution of LiClO4 in nitrobenzene saturated with water. It has been found that the solvation equilibria are dominated by slow kinetics involving mixed solvatomer Li(nitrobenzene/water). At the glass wall this solvatomer decomposes slowly, over period of many hours, to fully hydrated Li(water) solvatomer. On the other hand, no such decomposition is observed at the Teflon/nitrobenzene interface and the Li(nitrobenzene/water) even more slowly converts to solvatomer Li(nitrobenzene), solvated mostly by nitrobenzene. The effect of the anion on the “free” OH stretch at 3583 and 3672 cm−1, respectively, has been studied by the FTIR.