Metalations of N-methyl-and N-phenylbutanesultam were conveniently effected by means of n-butyllithium in THF-hexane at 2 5 O to give a-lithio salts which were condensed with representative electrophiles to afford asubstituted derivatives in good to excellent yields. The electrophiles studied included benzyl chloride, various aldehydes and ketones, methyl benzoate, and benzonitrile. Several reactions with lithio-N-methylbutanesultam did not proceed in a predictable manner. Thus, this salt with benzonitrile and chalcone surprisingly afforded a primary enamine and an aminosultone, respectively, rather than the expected ketosultams. Also, this salt and aldehydes gave analytjcally pure P-hydroxysultams with melting point ranges of up to 30°. Metalation of N-methylbutanesultam was also effected by sodium amide in liquid ammonia.