8-Lithio-1-N, N-dimethylaminonaphthalene has been prepared, and converted in good yield to the 8-CHO, COCH3, n-Bu2B and OH derivatives. The peri-relationship confers special reactivity on both 1 and 8 substituents: the aldehyde (5) is largely ring-closed in acid, the borane (9) is inert to oxidation because of the B→ N interaction, and the 8-methoxymethyl NMe3+ derivative is formed only with difficulty, and readily demethylated.