Regiospecific metalation of oligobromobenzenes

The metalation of selected oligobromobenzenes with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) was investigated. 1,3-Dibromo-substituted benzenes were metalated without special precautions since the resultant 2,6-dibromophenyllithium intermediates are relatively stable under reaction conditions: corresponding benzaldehydes were obtained in good or moderate yields after subsequent quench with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). Aryllithium compounds derived from 1,4- and 1,2-dibromobenzene are much less stable, but they could be trapped by the in situ use of chlorotrimethylsilane. The one-pot metalation/disilylation of 1,4-dibromo- and 1,2-dibromobenzene afforded 1,4-dibromo-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene and 2,3-dibromo-1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzene, respectively.