Action of (2‐benzothiazolyl) methyllithium with organic polar functions

(2‐Benzothiazolyl) methyllithium reacts quickly at low temperature (‐78°) with a variety of organic electrophiles like aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic esters, nitriles and acylchlorides. Such reactions lead to an easy introduction of alcohol, keto‐enol or amine‐enamine functional groups in extracyclic position with a stereoselective preference. These polyfunctional compounds whose synthesis is difficult by other pathways, are interesting, in particular, because of their ability to form intramolecular hydrogen bonds.