Fig. 2: In situ generation of reactive organosodium species, its reactivity in the presence and absence of Me6TREN with N-methyl-N-methoxybenzamide.

The scheme illustrates the formation of mesitylsodium through metal exchange between NaTpMe2 and mesityllithium, followed by its rearrangement to the 3,5-dimethylbenzyl anion via intramolecular deprotonation of the mesityl anion in the presence of Me6TREN.