Abstract Metalation of m-tolunitrile has been achieved by means of lithium dimethylamide and lithium diisopropylamide in THF/HMPA to afford a new, synthetically useful organometallic reagent. o-Tolunitrile and the p-isomer also react with such bases to give the corresponding lithiated derivatives. Each of the lithiotolunitriles readily undergoes condensations with various electrophiles.