A process for preparing high purity solutions of highly substituted lithium amide bases by direct reaction of lithium metal with highly substituted amine bases alone or in an ether solvent, a hydrocarbon solvent or in a mixed ether/hydrocarbon solvent mixture, optionally in the presence of a catalyst selected from tin salts and transition metal salts of Groups 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, and 8 of the Periodic Table.