Lithiation gives a highly-hindered, non-nucleophilic strong base; see, e.g. Org. Synth. Coll., 6, 571 (1988); 9, 426 (1998); Tetrahedron, 50, 3099 (1994). For use in selective isomerization of epoxides to aldehydes, see: J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 2103