User:Daftbeaker

Ortholithiation is an organometallic chemistry reaction used to provide substituted aryl organolithium reagents. The reaction requires an aryl system with an electronegative atom (usually oxygen or nitrogen) attached and a lithium source (usually butyllithium). This heteroatom then complexes the lithium, forming an unstable transition state. The strongly basic butyl group removes a proton ortho to the heteroatom substituent, forming butane and an unstable aryl ion which rapidly rearranges to give the organolithium product.