Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
LDA is a strong, non-nucleophilic base commonly used in organic chemistry to deprotonate the alpha hydrogen atoms of carbonyl compounds, facilitating enolate ion formation. This action is critical for various carbonyl alpha-substitution reactions.
An enolate ion is an anionic intermediate formed by the deprotonation of an alpha hydrogen atom in a carbonyl compound, characterized by resonance between two structures.
A carbonyl compound contains a carbon-oxygen double bond and serves as a key functional group in organic chemistry, participating in various reactions.
An alpha hydrogen is a hydrogen atom attached to the carbon atom directly adjacent to the carbonyl group, which exhibits increased acidity due to resonance stabilization upon deprotonation