Abstract 5-Pyrimidyllithium species are fairly stable when the metal is flanked by two electron-withdrawing substituents such as trifluoromethyl and chlorine or bromine. Thus, the corresponding 5-carboxylic acids are produced in high yields from 4, 5-dibromo-6- (trifluoromethyl) pyrimidine and 5-bromo-4-chloro-6-(trifluoromethyl) pyrimidine upon halogen/metal permutation accomplished with isopropylmagnesium chloride or ...