An efficient route to 5,5″-diaryl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridines through 2,6-bis(1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridines

A new route to substituted 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridines based on a new method for the synthesis of substituted 2,6-bis(1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridines and their inverse electron demand Diels–Alder reaction is shown to be an efficient strategy for the synthesis of structurally diverse terpyridine ligands.