The synthesis and characterization of four Lewis base-free, σ-bonded lithium aryls are reported. This work was undertaken in order to provide a model for the solid-state structure of phenyllithium, which is currently unknown. Nondonor hydrocarbon solubility of the four lithium aryls (LiC6H3-3, 5-t-Bu2) 6 (1),(LiC6H4-4-t-Bu) n (2),(LiC6H4-4-n-Bu) n (3), and {LiC6H4-4-SiMe2 (t-Bu)} n (4) was achieved by the incorporation of meta-or para- ...