rene (eq 3). Literature reports state that metal hydrogen exchange occurs with the ring hydrogens and not with those of the alkyl side chain. 16 This example seems to be the first report of side chain metalation of one of the five-membered n-excessive heteroaromatic systems. In a like manner, it was possible to alkenylate 2-methylpyrazine (expt 6) and aralkylate l-methylnaphthalene (eq 4).
