Kinetically enhanced metallation by the 2-pyridyl group of 2,2'-bipyri
dine or 2.4'-bipyridine (BPY) in the presence of lithium 2,2,6,6-(tetr
amethyl)piperidide directs lithiation to the ortho position of the adj
acent ring. Representative electrophiles convert the lithiated materia
l to a number of substituted products. The stannylated BPY products we
re coupled with 9-iodopyridine in the presence of Pd(PPh(3))(4) to giv
e two novel terpyridines. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd