Infrared Studies of Water in Crystalline Hydrates: LiI.3H2O

Abstract

The infrared spectra of undeuterated and partially deuterated LiI.3H2O were recorded between 4000 and 1000 cm−1. The splitting of the fundamentals of isotopically dilute HDO indicates that the water molecules are distorted and form one strong, linear OH … I− hydrogen bond and one weak, non-linear hydrogen bond. The non-equivalence of the two hydrogens of the water molecule disagrees with the space group P63mc − C6υ4 for this hydrate, proposed on the basis of X-ray diffraction studies. It is concluded that the space group, including hydrogens, is one of lower symmetry, P63 − C66. The gradual broadening and convergence of the HDO fundamentals at increasing temperature is explained by increasing librational motion of the water molecules.