Crystal structures of polymerized lithium chloride and dimethyl sulfoxide in the form of {2LiCl·3DMSO}( n ) and {LiCl·DMSO}( n )

Two novel LiCl·DMSO polymer structures were created by combining dry LiCl salt with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), namely, catena-poly[[chlorido­lithium(I)]-μ-(dimethyl sulfoxide)-κ(2) O:O-[chlorido­lithium(I)]-di-μ-(dimethyl sulfoxide)-κ(4) O:O], [Li(2)Cl(2)(C(2)H(6)OS)(3)]( n ), and catena-poly[lithium(I)-μ-chlorido-μ-(dimethyl sulfoxide)-κ(2) O:O], [LiCl(C(2)H(6)OS)]( n ). The initial synthesized phase had very small block-shaped crystals (<0.08 mm) with monoclinic symmetry and a 2 LiCl: 3 DMSO ratio. As the solution evaporated, a second phase formed with a plate-shaped crystal morphology. After about 20 minutes, large (>0.20 mm) octa­hedron-shaped crystals formed. The plate crystals and the octa­hedron crystals are the same tetra­gonal structure with a 1 LiCl: 1 DMSO ratio. These structures are reported and compared to other known LiCl·solvent compounds.