That’s pretty much why. For alkyl lithium reagents strength of reactivity depends on stability of the carbocation produced. t-BuLi forms a tertiary carbocation which is much more stable than the primary of methyl lithium. Chlorine isn’t the best leaving group in an aromatic system, especially resistant to substitution reactions which means MeLi isn’t sufficiently basic enough to react.
That’s pretty much why. For alkyl lithium reagents strength of reactivity depends on stability of the carbocation produced. t-BuLi forms a tertiary carbocation which is much more stable than the primary of methyl lithium. Chlorine isn’t the best leaving group in an aromatic system, especially resistant to substitution reactions which means MeLi isn’t sufficiently basic enough to react.More
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