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Organolithium reagent
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<p> In <a href="/facts/Organometallic_chemistry/bhqFz2P0">organometallic chemistry</a>, organolithium reagents are <a href="/facts/Chemical_compound/37FXqqtv">chemical compounds</a> that contain <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">carbon</a>–<a href="/facts/Lithium/7vXX6BWA">lithium</a> (C–Li) <a href="/facts/Chemical_bond/ArNUMnIB">bonds</a>. These reagents are important in <a href="/facts/Organic_synthesis/aprl6Iq7">organic synthesis</a>, and are frequently used to transfer the organic group or the lithium atom to the substrates in synthetic steps, through <a href="/facts/Nucleophilic_addition/1HL9WlD6">nucleophilic addition</a> or simple <a href="/facts/Deprotonation/SmUSh369">deprotonation</a>. Organolithium reagents are used in industry as an initiator for <a href="/facts/Anionic_polymerization/Tn3cHkal">anionic polymerization</a>, which leads to the production of various <a href="/facts/Elastomers/kCSD0udN">elastomers</a>. They have also been applied in <a href="/facts/Asymmetric_synthesis/5hJe37TL">asymmetric synthesis</a> in the pharmaceutical industry. Due to the large difference in <a href="/facts/Electronegativity/H7Vq7Uah">electronegativity</a> between the carbon atom and the lithium atom, the C−Li bond is highly <a href="/facts/Ionization/W13Ceavd">ionic</a>. Owing to the polar nature of the C−Li bond, organolithium reagents are good <a href="/facts/Nucleophile/xYccoaJQ">nucleophiles</a> and strong bases. For laboratory organic synthesis, many organolithium reagents are commercially available in solution form. These reagents are highly reactive, and are sometimes <a href="/facts/Pyrophoricity/1b8Sl2AJ">pyrophoric</a>. </p>