First regioselective ortho-lithiation induced by a 2-chloropyridyl group complexation.

It is shown that t-BuLi in Et(2)O promotes an exclusive regioselective metalation of 2-aryl-6-chloropyridine compounds at the aromatic ortho position demonstrating that the 2-chloropyridyl moiety may be considered as a directing group. This functionally directed metalation group was successfully used for the selective lithiation of substituted aromatics and for the straightforward preparation of new N,P ligands.