The crystalline lithium primary amide derived from tert-butylamine, [{Bu^tN(H)Li}_n], is structurally characterised by an X-ray diffraction study and shown to be a novel octameric (n= 8) ladder conformation, the cyclic, ‘double-crown’ nature of which implies molecules of this design could direct the synthesis of heterobimetallic (i.e. lithium and another metal) imide cage constructions.