Kinetic study of the metalation of a polystyrene model compound by the secondary butyllithium-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene diamine complex

2.5-Diphenyl hexane, a model compound of polystyrene was metalated by a complex of secondary butyllithium and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene diamine in heptane. At various times, the lithiated dimer was quenched with deuterated methanol. The deuterated compound was examined by mass spectrometry and from the deuterium content, the degree of lithiation was determined. The effects of the concentration of styrene units, secondary butyllithium and diamine on the lithiation were studied at 20 C and ?20 C. The overall rate of metalation was first order with respect to the styrene units concentration and half-order with respect to sec. butylithium-TMEDA complex concentration. The kinetic results were explained by the presence at 20 C of the 1 4 complex (1 sec. BuLi 4 TMEDA) and at ?20 C of the 1–2 complex (1 sec. BuLi 2 TMEDA).