Butyllithiums

Substance Butyllithiums (and related alkyl lithium reagents) n-butyllithium CAS 109-72-8 i-butyllithium (1-methylpropylhthium) CAS 598-30-1 r-butyllithium (1,1-dimethylethyllithium) CAS 594-19-4 

Physical Properties Usually supplied and handled as solutions in ether or hydrocarbon solvents 

Toxicity Data There is little toxicity data available for the butyllithiums for data on ether and hydrocarbon solvents, see the appropriate LCSSs. 

Major Hazards Highly reactive violent reactions may occur on exposure to water, CO2 and other materials may ignite spontaneously on exposure to air highly corrosive to the skin and eyes. 

Toxicity Solutions of the butyllithiums are corrosive to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Reaction with water generates highly corrosive hthium alkoxides and lithium hydroxide. 

---

Alkyllithium bases are generally less suitable for deprotofiation of compounds with strongly electron-withdrawing groups such as C=0, COOR and CsN. In these cases lithium dialkylamides, especially those with bulky groups (isopropyl, cyclohexyl), are the reagents of choice. They are very easily obtained from butyllithium and the dialkylamine in the desired solvent. 

A solution of 0.40 mol of butyllithium in about 270 ml of hexane was cooled to -50°C and 250 ml of dry THF or diethyl ether were added, while maintaining the temperature below -20°C. The allenic ether (0.42 mol, freshly distilled) was subsequently added in 16 min at -30°C. After an additional 10 min at this temperature the solution was ready for further conversions. 

In some experiments the presence of hexane is undesirable in view of the volatility of the products. In these cases one can use butyllithium in pentane (prepared from butyllithium in hexane, by replacing the hexane with pentane see Exp. 10) or ethyllithium in diethyl ether, prepared from ethyl bromide and 11thiurn (see Exp. 1). 

Nate 7. An excess of butyllithium is used, as some butyllithium is destroyed by the competing reaction with the THF. 

Nate 2. During this period the excess of butyllithium has completely reacted with the THF. 

The alkylations proceeded much more slowly, when ethyl- or butyllithium in diethyl ether, prepared from the alkyl bromides, had been used for the metallation of allene, in spite of the presence of THF and HMPT as co-solvents. 

Note 1. If the lithiation of the allenic ether is performed with butyllithium in hexane and THF as a co-solvent, subsequent alkylation (in the presence of a small amount of HMPT) is much faster. The separation of the volatile product from the hexane and THF is difficult, however. 

In a similar way HjC=C=C(0CH3)(SnBuj), n 1.4955 (undistilled) was prepared in almost quantitative yield from 0.12 mol of butyllithium in 75 ml of hexane and 75 ml of diethyl ether, 0.14 mol of methoxyallene and 0.10 mol of tributyl-tin chloride. The product contained 8-10% of an impurity, possibly Bu3Sn-CH2CEC-0CH3. 

Similar results are probably obtained when the metallation of the allenic ether is carried out with butyllithium in hexane-THF or diethyl ether. 

The dilithiation can also be carried out with butyllithium in a 1 1 mixture of hexane and THF at -20°C (reaction time about 45 min). Subsequent alkylation is much faster than in diethyl ether. 

Although the original procedure also gives excellent yields, our procedure seems more economic because the use of the expensive butyllithium is avoided. 

Butyllithium in a mixture of hexane and diethyl ether or THE can presumably also be used for the dilithiation of propargyl alcohol. 

In the flask was placed a solution of 0.44 mol of butyllithium in about 300 ml of hexane. To this solution were added, with coaling below -20°C, 800, 600 and 400 ml of dry diethyl ether (note 1) in the case of R = CH3, C2H5 and tert.-CuHj or Me3Si, respectively. Subsequently 0.46 mol of the alkyne [in the case of R = CH3, C2H5 a cooled (-30°C) solution in 50 ml of diethyl ether] was added in about 10 min, while keeping the temperature below -20 c. The suspension (in the... 

To a solution of 0.40 mol of butyllithium in about 280 ml of hexane were added 280 ml of dry THF with cooling below -10°C. Subsequently 0.40 mol of 1,1-diethoxy--2-propyne (see Chapter V, Exp. 28) was introduced in 15 min at -30 to -10°C. To the solution obtained was then added in 15 min with cooling at about -15°C 0.40 mol of chloromethyl ethyl ether (note 2). After the addition stirring was continued for 1 h without cooling. The mixture was then shaken with concentrated ammonium chloride solution and the ethereal layer was separated off. The aqueous layer was extracted twice with diethyl ether. After drying the ethereal solutions over magnesium sulfate the diethyl ether was evaporated in a water-pump vacuum. 

To a solution of 0.20 mol of butyllithium in about 140 ml of hexane were added 250 ml of dry diethyl ether below -10°C. Subsequently a solution of 0.25 mol of propyne in 25 ml of ether, cooled below -25°C, was added in 10 min, keeping the temperature of the reaction mixture below -20 C. Powdered sulfur (0.20 at) was... 

A mixture of 0.10 mol of freshly distilled 3-methyl-3-chloro-l-butyne (see Chapter VIII-3, Exp. 5) and 170 ml of dry diethyl ether was cooled to -100°C and 0.10 mol of butyllithium in about 70 ml of hexane was added at this temperature in 10 min. Five minutes later 0.10 mol of dimethyl disulfide was introduced within 1 min with cooling betv/een -100 and -90°C. The cooling bath vjas subsequently removed and the temperature was allowed to rise. Above -25°C the clear light--brown solution became turbid and later a white precipitate was formed. When the temperature had reached lO C, the reaction mixture was hydrolyzed by addition of 200 ml of water. The organic layer and one ethereal extract were dried over potassium carbonate and subsequently concentrated in a water-pump vacuum (bath... 

A solution of 0.21 mol of butyllithium in about 140 ml of hexane (note 1) was cooled below -40°C and 90 ml of dry THF ivere run in. Subsequently a cold (< -20 C) solution of 0.25 nol of propyne in 20 ml of dry THF was added with cooling below -20°C and a white precipitate was formed. A solution of 0.10 mol of anhydrous (note 2) lithium bromide in 30 ml of THF was added, followed by 0.20 mol of freshly distilled cyclopentanone or cyclohexanone, all at -30°C. The precipitate had disappeared almost completely after 20 min. The cooling bath was then removed and when the temperature had reached 0°C, the mixture was hydrolyzed by addition of 100 ml of a solution of 20 g of NHi,Cl in water. After shaking and separation of the layers four extractions with diethyl ether were carried out. The extracts were dried over magnesium sulfate and the solvents removed by evaporation in a water--pump vacuum. Careful distillation of the remaining liquids afforded the following... 

TO a solution of 0.10 mol of phenyl acetyl one (commercially available, see also Ref. 1) in 100 ml of dry THF was added a solution of 0.21 mol of butyllithium in about 145 ml of hexane. During this addition the temperature was kept below -20°C. The obtained solution was cooled to -65°C and a solution of 0.12 mol of KO-tert.--CijHg (commercially available, see Chapter IV, Exp. 4, note 2) in 100 ml of THF was added, while keeping the temperature below -55°C. After an additional 15 min the cooling bath was removed, the temperature was allowed to rise to -10°C and was kept at that level for 1 h (note 1). The reddish suspension was subsequently cooled to -50°C and 0.32 mol of trimethylchlorosi1ane was added in 10 min. The cooling bath was then removed and the temperature was allowed to rise to 10°C. 

A solution of 0.22 mol of butyllithium in 150 ml of hexane was cooled below -40°C and 140 ml of dry THF were added. Subsequently 0.20 mol of 1-dimethyl amino--4-methoxy-2-butyne (see Chapter V, Exp. 14) were added in 10 min with cooling between -35 and -45°C. After an additional 15 min 100 ml of an aqueous solution of 25 g of ammonium chloride were added with vigorous stirring. After separation of the layers four extractions with diethyl ether were carried out. The solutions were dried over potassium carbonate and then concentrated in a water-pump vacuum. Distillation of the residue gave a mixture of 8-10% of starting compound and 90-92% of the allenic ether, b.p. 50°C/12 mmHg, n 1.4648, in 82% yield (note 1). 

Note 2. Commercial butyllithium in hexane as solvent or butyllithium in diethyl... 

Note 7. Butyllithium in hexane can be used in principle, but the yield is lower because during the evaporation of the hexane some of the cumulenic ether is entrained. 

To a solution of 0.40 mol of butyllithium in about 280 ml of hexane were added 300 ml of dry THF at -20 to -40 0. Subsequently 0.40 mol of freshly distilled tert.-butyl propargyl ether was added, keeping the temperature below -30°C. Freshly distilled acetaldehyde (0.40 mol) was then added at the same temperature during about 15 min. The cooling bath was removed and, after an additional 15 min, 200 ml of an aqueous solution of 30 g of ammonium chloride were introduced. After separation of the layers the aqueous layer was extracted twice with diethyl ether and the combined solutions were dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated in... 

The 120 g of residue were dissolved in 350 ml of dry diethyl ether and a solution of 0.35 mol of butyllithium in about 280 ml of hexane was added dropwise during 30 min, while maintaining the temperature at about -60°C. After the addition the temperature was allowed to rise to -25°C and stirring at that temperature was continued for an additional 30 min. The mixture was then poured with swirling into 1 1 of ice-water and the upper layer and two extracts of the aqueous layer were combined and dried over magnesium sulfate. The solvents were removed... 

---