Electrolyte for a lithium battery and a lithium battery comprising the same

A lithium battery comprising:

• an electrolyte comprising:
• a non-aqueous organic solvent,
• a lithium salt, and
• a first additive capable of forming a chelating complex with a transition metal, the first additive being stable at voltages ranging from about 2.5 to about 4.8 V;
• and
• a second additive selected from the group consisting of phenyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, 1-naphthyl acetate, 2-chromanone and ethyl propionate,
• a positive electrode comprising a positive active material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium ions;
• and
• a negative electrode comprising an active material selected from the group consisting of materials capable of intercalating/deintercalating lithium ions, lithium metals, lithium-containing alloys, and materials capable of forming lithium-containing compounds by reversibly reacting lithium,
• wherein the first additive comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by Formulas 1, 3-11, 13-15, 17, 19-21, 23 and 26, and combinations thereof:
• wherein n is an integer of 0 to 10, n1 is an integer of 0 to 15, wherein when n1 is an odd number, a is 1 and when n1 is an even number, a is either ½ or 1;
• and at least one of R1 through R3 and at least one of R4 through R6 is a substituent represented by AxR′, wherein A is selected from the group consisting of N, O, P, and S, x is 0 or 1, and R′ is selected from the group consisting of CN, C1 to C16 linear alkyls, C1 to C15 linear carboxyls, C1 to C15 branch alkyls and C1 to C15 branch carboxyls, and wherein the remaining R1 through R6 groups each comprises a substituent selected from the group consisting of H, halogens, C1 to C15 alkyls and C6 to C15 aryls.