부틸리튬

용도n-Butyllithium is used as a polymerization initiator in the production of elastomers like polybutadiene and styrene- butadiene- styrene. As a strong base, it is utilized in the synthesis of organic compounds. It undergoes thermal decomposition to prepare 1-butene.

Industrially, n-butyllithium is produced by the reaction of n-butyl chloride with lithium metal dispersion in various hydrocarbon solvents. Hexane is the most commonly used solvent. Up to one-half of the lithium is replaced with sodium in order to lower the cost of the butyllithium and increase the reactivity of the dispersion. The reaction is carried out below the boiling point of the solvent.The laboratory procedure is essentially the same except that pentane and diethyl ether are two of the more popular solvents. The preparation runs smoothly in ether at lower temperatures but the product must either be used immediately or kept refrigerated due to the rapid cleavage of ether by n-butyllithium.