As the electropositive nature of lithium puts most of the charge density of the bond on the carbon atom, effectively creating a carbanion, organolithium compounds are extremely powerful bases and nucleophiles.
æz ðɪ ɪlˌɛktɹoʊpˈɑːzᵻtˌɪv nˈeɪtʃɚɹ ʌv lˈɪθiəm pˌʊts mˈoʊst əv ðə tʃˈɑːɹdʒ dˈɛnsᵻɾi ʌvðə bˈɑːnd ɔnðə kˈɑːɹbən ˈæɾəm, ɪfˈɛktɪvli kɹiːˈeɪɾɪŋ ɐ kɑːɹbˈæniən, ɔːɹɡˌænoʊlˈɪθiəm kˈɑːmpaʊndz ɑːɹ ɛkstɹˈiːmli pˈaʊɚfəl bˈeɪsᵻz ænd nˈuːklɪˌɑːfaɪlz.