Abstract 1, 1-Bis (phenylseleno) alkyllithiums are conveniently prepared from the corresponding selenoacetals and lithium tetramethylpiperidide in HMPT/THF. 1, 1-Bis (methylseleno) alkyllithiums, not available by similar procedures are quantitatively obtained from 1, 1, 1-tris (methylseleno) alkanes and n-BuLi. These carbanions are treated with a large variety of electrophiles and the resulting products further transformed.
