Reductive lithiation of arylalkyl methyl ethers

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(97)10080-1

We have investigated the reductive cleavage of arylalkyl methyl ethers with an excess of lithium metal and a catalytic amount of naphthalene. The reaction proceeds regioselectively in the presence of various substituents on the aromatic ring, allowing access to a wide array of arylalkyl lithium derivatives some of which are not easily accessible by conventional methods.