Cobalt(II)-mediated synthesis of 2,6-bis[5,7-di-tert-butyl-1,3-benzoxazol-2-yl]-pyridine: Structural analysis and coordination behavior

The oxidative cyclization of 2,6-bis[2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(methylidenylamino)phenol]-pyridine (L1) in acetonitrile, through the cobalt(II) coordination compound of L1, has resulted in a convenient route for the preparation of 2,6-bis[5,7-di-tert-butyl-1,3-benzoxazol-2-yl]-pyridine (L3). The X-ray diffraction analysis of L3 shows a planar molecule, with the oxygen atoms from the benzoxazole rings oriented to the pyridine nitrogen atom (conformer L3a). Ab initio calculations indicate that from the three possible planar conformers of L3, the more stable is L3a. The solid state conformation of the free ligand L3 and the relative energy of the three calculated conformers indicated stabilizing N → O interactions. Calculations of the protonated derivative of L3, compound 7, indicated that the most stable conformer has the benzoxazole nitrogen atoms pointing to the protonated pyridine NH (7c). The X-ray crystal analysis of ligand L3 coordinated to cobalt(II) nitrate, compound 4 is presented and conformer L3c is found in this compound. id:base complexes [Zn(NO3)2(H2O)2][L3c]2, compound 5, and [NEt2H2Cl][L3c], compound 6, have also been investigated. Complex 5 crystallized and its X-ray diffraction analysis is reported, whereas compound 6 was studied in solution by NMR, mass spectrometry and ab initio calculations. Both complexes show that conformer L3c can form stable hydrogen bonding associations, with molecules having the motif YH2 (Y = N or O), that are of interest for building up supramolecular associations.