One of the key organic intermediates that heretofore has rarely been utilized in practical synthetic reactions is the negatively charged carbonyl species, carbonyl anion (acyl-or aroyllithium) 2. They have long been suggested as the first intermediate in the reaction of organolithium 1 with carbon monoxide. The reactions are quite complex and give various products in a nonselective manner. Incorporation of at least two aryl or alkyl moieties into ...