Carbolithiation of aromatic rings: cyclohexadienes from N-aroyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidines.

Benzamides whose nitrogen atom is part of a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine ring are dearomatised by alkyllithiums, which attack them regioselectively to yield, after electrophilic quench, substituted cyclohexadienes.