Different homoleptic and heteroleptic lithium–zinc combinations were prepared, and structural elements obtained on the basis of NMR spectroscopic experiments and DFT calculations. In light of their ability to metalate anisole, pathways were proposed to justify the synergy observed for some mixtures. The best basic mixtures were obtained either by combining ZnCl2⋅TMEDA (TMEDA=N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine) with [Li(tmp)] (tmp=2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidino; 3 equiv) or by replacing one of the tmp in the precedent mixture with an alkyl group. The reactivity of the aromatic lithium zincates supposedly formed was next studied, and proved to be substrate‐, base‐, and electrophile‐dependent. The aromatic lithium zincates were finally involved in palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions with aromatic chlorides and bromides.

In situ mixtures of CdCl(2)TMEDA (0.5 equiv; TMEDA = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) or InCl(3) (0.33 equiv) with [Li(tmp)] (tmp = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino; 1.5 or 1.3 equiv, respectively) were compared with the previously described mixture of ZnCl(2)TMEDA (0.5 equiv) and [Li(tmp)] (1.5 equiv) for their ability to deprotonate anisole, benzothiazole, and pyrimidine. [(tmp)(3)CdLi] proved to be the best base when used in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature, as demonstrated by subsequent trapping with iodine. The Cd-Li base then proved suitable for the metalation of a large range of aromatics including benzenes bearing reactive functional groups (CONEt(2), CO(2)Me, CN, COPh) or heavy halogens (Br, I), and heterocycles (from the furan, thiophene, pyrrole, oxazole, thiazole, pyridine, and diazine series). Five-membered heterocycles benefiting from doubly activated positions were similarly dideprotonated at room temperature. The aromatic lithium cadmates thus obtained were involved in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions or simply quenched with acid chlorides.