Organolithium compounds from alkyl halide reduction

Simple, unfunctionalized organolithium compounds are usually prepared by reductive lithiation of alkyl halides with lithium metal at ambient temperature or above [26]. Reductive lithiation is fastest for alkyllithium compounds (the more substituted the better) and slowest for aryllithium compounds. The order of reactivity follows logically from the relative stabilities of the intermediate radicals, whose formation is the rate-determining step of the sequence. 

Organocadmium compounds can be prepared from Grignard reagents or organolithium compounds by reaction with Cd(II) salts. Organocadmium compounds can also be prepared directly from alkyl, benzyl, and aryl halides by reaction with highly reactive cadmium metal generated by reduction of Cd(II) salts ... 

---