Alkyllithium process

In the process for producing alkyllithium compounds by reacting in a liquid hydrocarbon solvent selected from liquid saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons containing 5 to 12 carbon atoms, saturated liquid cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons containing 5 to 12 carbon atoms and liquid aromatic hydrocarbons containing 6 to 12 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, an alkyl halide containing 3 to 16 carbon atoms with lithium metal particles of less than 300 microns in size in which the improvement consists of producing the alkyllithium compounds in high yields of at least 90% and high purity, containing less than 300 ppm dissolved lithium halide, by conducting the reaction under conditions selected from:

• conducting the reaction under reflux conditions in hydrocarbon solvents which reflux at temperatures between 50.degree. C. and 100.degree. C.;
• and conducting the reaction under non-reflux conditions at temperatures between 50.degree. C. and 125.degree. C. and recovering the alkyllithium compound.