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Hydrogen is in the first column of the periodic table. At STP it is a diatomic gas. When cooled and/or under pressure it forms a crystalline solid of di-hydrogen molecules. Calculations indicate that under high enough pressure it may form a monatomic basis metallic crystal, and scientists are actively looking to find evidence of this. Results so far seem inconclusive.

However, lithium is also a first column element. But its solid is a monoatomic basis metal and NOT a dilithium crystal as we would expect based on hydrogen. Why not?

Mithoron
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Paul Young
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    https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/70678/do-li4-or-li8-molecules-exist https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/91279/do-alkali-metals-not-form-diatomic-molecules – Mithoron Jan 03 '19 at 17:34
  • Happy to! Any advice on what is not specific? I expect solid lithium to look like solid hydrogen. Solid hydrogen is a lattice of diatomic molecules, but lithium is a metal with a single atom basis. Does this wording work better? – Paul Young Jan 03 '19 at 18:04
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    @PaulYoung No because all the links suggested do answer the question. – Harshit Joshi Jan 03 '19 at 18:21
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    As far as molecular structure goes H2 is better compared with halides - single bond completes el. shell. – Mithoron Jan 03 '19 at 18:37
  • I do think Mithoron's second link answer the Q, as well as his comment – Paul Young Jan 03 '19 at 18:43

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