(Chemical Equation Presented) Deprotonative metalation of ferrocene by a lithium zincate reagent was carried out to form the neutral zinc complex [(Fc)2Zn(tmeda)] and the anionic zincate [Li(thf)4][(Fc) 3Zn] (see scheme; tmp = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, TMEDA = N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine). A 1:1:1 mixture of TMEDA, Li(tmp), and nBu2Zn is used to readily prepare the lithium zincate reagent [LinBu2Zn(tmp)(tmeda)] in situ. © 2005 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.