The metathesis reaction of lithium 2-pyridylmethylamide with chloroalkanes and phosphanes yields N-and C-substitution products depending on the electrophile. Thus, C-alkylated 1-amino-1-(2-pyridyl)-2,2-dimethylpropane (1) and 1-amino-1-(2-pyridyl)-2phenylethane (2) and N-substituted N-benzyl-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (3) and N-(diphenylphosphanyl)-2-pyridylmethylamine (4) are obtained. In [1·LiCl] 2 , molecule 1 binds to the lithium atom in a bidentate fashion. C-and N-substituted 2-pyridylmethylamines are compared with quantum chemical methods. Lithiation of 4 and subsequent reaction with cloro-diphenylphosphane yields N,N-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)-2-pyridylmethylamine (5) with a planar amine nitrogen atom. Metallation of 4 with dibutylmagnesium 893 leads to the formation of colorless (tetrahydrofuran)magnesium bis[N-(diphenylphosphanyl)-2-pyridylmethylamide] (6) with a penta-coordinate alkaline earth metal atom in a trigonal bipyramidal environment. In contrast to this observation, the reaction of 4 with dimethylzinc yields colorless methylzinc bis[N-(diphenylphosphanyl)-2-pyridylmethylamide] (7). Zincation of 1 gives dimeric methylzinc 1-(2-pyridyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1-propylamide (8). In these zinc complexes the metal and amide nitrogen atoms are in distorted tetrahedral environments.