The title complex crystallizes in the space group Pcab with a = 16.019(7), b = 19.62(1), c = 15.847(5) A, and Z = 8. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined by full matrix least-quares calculations to a residual, R , of 0.083. The monomeric structure lacks a true centre of symmetry although the two lithiums have similar chemical environments. Each lithium cation is coordinated to three different oxygens of the hexaether and to both phenoxide oxygens. The hexaether is slightly elongated allowing both Li(1) and Li(2) to lie in the cavity formed by the crown with values of -0.077 and0.074 A, respectively, out of the plane approximated by the six oxygens. Both cations are stron ly associated with the phenol moieties. The distances between the lithium and the phenoxide oxygens range from 1.859-1.893 ! , while distances of 1.940-2.420 A are found with the ether oxygens. The L i ( l t L i ( 2 ) distance is found to be relatively short at 2.35 (2) A.Evidence for motion in the 18-crown-6 portion of the solid complex has been obtained from I3C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy. At 298 K, a dipolar washout phenomenon occurs since the motional correlation times are of the order of the inverse of the 'H decoupling field amplitude. At lower temperatures, the motion becomes slow enough to permit resolution of the chemical shift differences of unique carbon sites of the crown ether. Consistent with the X-ray analysis, only five resonances are evident for the phenoxide carbons, indicating that the two aromatic rings are nearly equivalent in their crystallographic environment. The solution 13C spectrum shows only five resonances in total down to 188 K indicative of rapid conformational averaging of all the 18-crown-6 carbon resonances and rapid rotation about the 0-phenyl bond. A et Z = 8. On a rCsolu la structure par des mCthodes directes et on l'a affinCe par la mCthode des moindres carrts jusqu'h une valeur de R = 0,083. La structure monomkre ne posskde pas de vrai centre de symCtrie m&me si les deux atomes de lithium se trouvent dans des environnement chimiques semblables. Chaque cation lithium est coordonnC 5 trois oxygknes difftrents de I'hexaCther et aux deux groupements hCnolates. L'hexatther est partiellement allonge et les deux Li (1) En se basant sur des donnies de spectroscopie rrnn CPMAS due 13c, on a pu mettre en evidence un mouvement de 1'Cther 18-couronne-6. A 298 K, il se produit un phCnomkne d'annulation dipolaire qui rtsulte du fait que les temps de corrClation des mouvements sont du m&me ordre de grandeur que l'inverse de l'amplitude du champ de decouplage du 'H. A des temperatures plus basses, le mouvement devient suffisamrnent lent pour permettre la rksolution des differences dans les diplacements chimiques des sites uniques des carbones de 1'Cther couronne. En accord avec l'analyse des rayons-X, on n'obsewe que cinq bandes de resonance pour les carbones du phCnolate; ces rtsultats indiquent que les deux cycles aromatiques sont pratiquement Cquivalents dans leur environnement cristallographique. Au tota...