X‐Ray Structure Analysis of α‐Lithiophenylacetonitrile · Lithium Diisopropyl amide· 2 Tetramethylethylenediamine—a “Quasi‐Dianion Complex”

The authors report the first structural characterization of the adduct formed between a monoanion and a base, such as that formed by reaction of a carbon acid (here, phenylacetonitrile) with ≥2 molar equivalents of base (here, lithium diisopropylamide)— namely, “QUADAC” (1.2 TMEDA). It reacts as a “dianion” with alkyl halides and D2O to give dialkylated and dideuterated products, respectively.