Hexalithiobenzene Li6C6 was synthesized by reaction of hexachlorobenzene with LitBu at -125°C in dioxane (53% yield). C6Cl6 was slowly added to the large excess of LitBu in pentane/dioxane (the latter, as well as very low temperature of -125°C favors Cl to Li exchange reactions).
Li6C6 displayed 113.1324 ppm peak in C13-NMR (with fluorocarbon calibration peak at 114.0055 ppm). Surprisingly, it
appeared to have relatively high vapor pressure, making it thus potentially being applicable for the MOCVD of Li, C- containing compounds.[[i]]
[i] J. R. Baran Jr., C. Hendrickson , D. A. Laude Jr., R. J. Lagow, J. Org. Chem., 1992, 57 (14), pp 3759–3760, DOI: 10.1021/jo00040a005,
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jo00040a005, “Synthesis of hexalithiobenzene”