Synthesis of oligopyridines and their metal complexes as precursors to topological stereoisomers

(Matrix Presented) Palladium-based carbon-carbon coupling reactions in sequence with halogen-exchange chemistry on a series of heterocycles lead to an effecient synthetic strategy for oligopyridines that bind metal ions such as ruthenium to form coordination racks. The particular structures are designed to form tepyridine subunits for octahedral binding. Reactions of 4,6-diiodopyrimide produces a "duoble-bay" terpyridine from which binuclear coordination complexes have been formed.