Until recently, a-lithioethers were nearly always prepared by deprotonation of an a-carbon atom of an ether which has a special anion-stabilizing feature. Examples of the latter are substituents such as carbonyl,'cyano, 2 phenylthi~,~ or most commonly carbon-carbon un~ aturation;~ in addition, sp2 hybridization of the ether carbon atom allows ready deprotonation by alkyllithiums even when anion-stabilizing substituents are ab~ ent.~ ...
