A theoretical prediction of potentially observable lithium compounds with planar tetracoordinate carbons.

Several potentially experimentally accessible lithiated heterocyclic and heteroatom compounds with planar tetracoordinate carbons (ptC) have been predicted computationally. These utilize the strong electron-donating ability and the bridging proclivity of lithium to achieve the ptC preferences. As the p orbitals on the central carbons are only partially occupied, their electronic structures are similar to those of the related carbenes, e.g. imidazole-2-ylidene, rather than to the other ptC compounds such as dilithiocyclopropane.