butyllithium

chemical compound

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

Butyllithium (C₄H₉Li) is an organolithium compound where a lithium atom is directly bonded to a carbon atom. It is a key reagent produced industrially, primarily used as an initiator for polymerization, particularly in the creation of synthetic rubber. It also finds extensive use in synthesizing other organic chemicals, including pharmaceuticals.1

Butyllithium is prepared by reacting butyl bromide with metallic lithium. Lithium itself is a soft, white, lustrous alkali metal, the lightest of the solid elements, with atomic number 3. It readily loses an electron to form the Li⁺ cation and is highly reactive with water.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

lithium
Significant uses
…a large scale is n-butyllithium, C₄H₉Li. Its principal commercial use is as an initiator of polymerization, for example, in the production of synthetic rubber. It is also extensively used in the production of other organic chemicals, especially pharmaceuticals. Because of its light weight and large negative electrochemical potential, lithium…
Read More
…a large scale is n-butyllithium, C₄H₉Li. Its principal commercial use is as an initiator of polymerization, for example, in the production of synthetic rubber. It is also extensively used in the production of other organic chemicals, especially pharmaceuticals. Because of its light weight and large negative electrochemical potential, lithium…
Read More