this invention discloses a process for making dilithium initiators in high purity . this process can be conducted in the absence of amines which is desirable since amines can act as modifiers for anionic polymerizations . the dilithium compounds made are highly desirable because they are soluble in aromatic solvents . the present invention more specifically discloses a process for synthesizing a dilithium initiator which comprises reacting diisopropenylbenzene with a tertiary alkyl lithium compound in an aromatic solvent at a temperature which is within the range of about 0 ° c . to about 100 ° c . the present invention further discloses a process for synthesizing m - di - benzene which comprises reacting diisopropenylbenzene with tertiary - butyllithium in an aromatic solvent at a temperature which is within the range of about 0 ° c . to about 100 ° c . the present invention also discloses a process for synthesizing a functionalized lithium initiator which comprises reacting a dilithium initiator with a alkylaminoaryl compound of the structural formula : wherein r , r ′, and r ″ can be the same or different , wherein r is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms , alkyl groups , aryl groups , alkaryl groups , and amino aryl groups , and wherein r ′ and r ″ represent alkyl groups .