LiMn2O4: a spinel-related low-temperature modification

Single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction at 297 K revealed the spinel-related low-temperature orthorhombic form of black octahedrally shaped single crystals of lithium dimang­anate, LiMn2O4, grown by the flux method. Three of five MnO6 octahedra show typical Jahn–Teller distortions associated with MnIII states. The bond valence sums indicate that these three sites are enriched with MnIII and the other two with MnIV, though the charge distribution among these sites is still partially disordered.