Polyphenylene as an electron transfer catalyst in lithiation processes

The lithiation of different functionalised chlorinated materials (), dichlorinated compounds () and benzofused cyclic ethers () with lithium powder in the presence of catalytic amounts of either linear (LPP) or crosslinked (CPP) polyphenylene, in THF at temperatures ranging between −78 and 20°C, leads to the expected organolithium intermediates (), which by reaction with electrophiles [ButCHO, PhCHO, Et2CO, (CH2)5CO, PhCOMe, Me3SiCl] gives, after hydrolysis with water, the expected products .