[3][4] Generically IUPAC defines a superbase as a "compound having a very high basicity, such as lithium diisopropylamide.
Organic superbases are charge-neutral compounds with basicities greater than that of proton sponge (pKBH+ = 18.6 in MeCN).
[6] Common superbases of this variety feature amidine, guanidine, and phosphazene functional groups.
Strong superbases can be designed by utilizing various approaches[7][8][9] to stabilize the conjugate acid, up to the theoretical limits of basicity.
n-Butyllithium and potassium tert-butoxide form a mixed aggregate of greater reactivity than either component reagent.