Magnesiation magnesium amide bases

Magnesium amides, known as the Hauser bases [26], are able to magnesiate arenes and heteroarenes [27]. However, their low solubility in most organic solvents makes them difficult to handle. Furthermore, in noncoordinating solvents, these species behave as reducing agents for various functional groups such as keto, nitro, nitroso, and azoxy derivatives [28]. 

Not only magnesium amides but also magnesiate bases can be used for the preparation of organomagnesium derivatives or even dimagnesiated species via alkali-metal-mediated metaUations [35]. 

Directed magnesiation. Orl/io-metallation is not limited to lithium but can be effected with magnesium diamides, which are more stable than lithium amides. Even esters can be metallated with these bases (equations I, II). 

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