A new architecture in lithium amide chemistry: synthesis of [{(c-C5H9)N(H)}12(O)Li14], a cage molecule containing a salt-like, distorted, face-centered cube of lithium cations

Synthesised in the presence of trace quantities of water, which can account for its central oxo anion, the tetradecalithium title compound represents a rare three-dimensional, high-oligomeric cage arrangement in an area generally populated by psudo-two-dimensional ring and ladder structures.