The reaction of lithiating agents with various 3-bro-mopyridines has been investigated. An unprecedented selectivity was observed with t-BuLi, which effected a clean lithiation at C-4. With 3-bromo and 2-chloro-3-bromo pyridines, the ortholithiation-exchange ratio was strongly electrophile and addition order dependent while 2-chloro-5-bromopyridine always gave exclusive C-4 substitution.