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Updated: Apr 8, 2026

A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents
Published on: November 12, 2016
High-yield lithiation of azobenzenes by tin-lithium exchange
Jan Strueben1, Matthias Lipfert1, Jan-Ole Springer1
1Otto-Diels-Institute for Organic Chemistry, University of Kiel, Otto-Hahn-Platz 3-4, 24098 Kiel (Germany).
Abstract:
The lithiation of halogenated azobenzenes by halogen-lithium exchange commonly leads to substantial degradation of the azo group to give hydrazine derivatives besides the desired aryl lithium species. Yields of quenching reactions with electrophiles are therefore low. This work shows that a transmetalation reaction of easily accessible stannylated azobenzenes with methyllithium leads to a near-quantitative lithiation of azobenzenes in para, meta, and ortho positions. To investigate the scope of the reaction, various lithiated azobenzenes were quenched with a variety of electrophiles. Furthermore, mechanistic (119) Sn NMR spectroscopic studies on the formation of lithiated azobenzenes are presented. A tin ate complex of the azobenzene was detected and characterized at low temperature.
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