I’m reminded this afternoon of how nothing is simple in chemistry. Everything seems to require a learning curve. Even in making an apparently simple binary inorganic molecule, nature can put a hitch in yer giddyup. It’s especially vexing when all you have to determine purity or identity is elemental analysis or perhaps some gravimetric wet chemical method. I’ve been spoiled rotten by NMR.
Update: OK. So I have tweaked the reaction conditions and am now able to make this particular metal halide. I was applying conditions that were too vigorous. This is an element I’ve never worked with before, so it is new territory for me. Funny how different metals can be … said the organikker. \;-)
Lamentations on Chemistry 
Inorganic is the pits. It drips isomorphous substitution and non-stoichiometry. Its analytical procedures are monstrous (wet, plasma, hard radiation, dependent on reagent purity). It’s done in, in, in, water! What kind of a universe tolerates that? At least it has crystals, except for clays and most everything else that is interesting.
If you depend upon inorganic chemistry it will get you, even lighter than calcium. As the E*L*E*C*T*R*I*C car evolves (except in Texas) in its various Federally-subsidized incarnations, one is wont to wonder,
1) From where will all that lithium originate? Will it be Li–6 depleted by DoD order?
2) A Li(Li_aNi_xMn_yCo_z)O2 battery, the very best is 0.920 kW-h/kg.
3) Lithium ion battery electrolytes are Li[PF6], Li[AsF6[, Li[ClO4], Li[BF4], and Li[F3CSO3] (lithium triflate). When those begin leaking and gushing into the world, and into our drinking water re MTBE, will Enviro-whiners scream for the P*E*D*A*L car?
4) A Li-ion battery kept mostly fully charged irreversibly loses ~20% of its capacity/year. Uncle Al’s Prius friends get replacements under warranty. That will end. Batteries don’t like to be warm (summer, everywhere), or frozen (about 1/4 of the US).
Gasoline’s /_\H(combustion) is -48 kJ/g at 0.68 g/cm^3. An unremarkable 13 gallon gas tank then holds 49,210.35 cm^3, 33,463 grams, 1606 MJ of energy, 446.2 kW-hr. A textbook 446.2 kW-hr lithium ion battery would weigh 1070 lbs.
Burn hydrocarbons not money.
The key is lower consumption. That is where this will play out. The question that follows is, will the inevitable downturn in conspicuous consumption by the disappearing middle class lead to a revolution?
I have to say that I agree with the ever-popular and never-boring uncle Al on this one. Li based power generation is really just as unsustainable as burning oil and its derivatives. I think the key to our long-term energy needs are 1) personal fusion reactors or 2) production of higher hydrocarbons via bioengineering of yeast and algae. You just cannot beat combustion, the question now become for whence will all that fuel come from?
Hopefully the ethanol fiasco will die down and the real biotech solutions will be allowed to use all those empty fermentation vats.
I predict that as the middle class disappears, the occupation of warlord will become more popular. It is an underestimated career path by most people. Forget hoarding food, TP, and Krugerrands.