4,4'-Bis(N,N-diethylamino)-2,2'-bipyridine

Area of Science:

• Crystal engineering
• Supramolecular chemistry
• Organic chemistry

Background:

• Bipyridine derivatives are crucial in coordination chemistry and materials science.
• Understanding molecular packing and intermolecular forces is key to designing new materials.
• Low-density organic materials offer unique properties for various applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel C(18)H(26)N(4) compound.
• To investigate the crystal structure and packing of the title compound.
• To elucidate the intermolecular interactions governing the material's properties.

Main Methods:

• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis to determine molecular and crystal structure.
• Analysis of bond lengths, angles, and intermolecular contacts.
• Density calculations based on crystallographic data.

Main Results:

• The title compound, C(18)H(26)N(4), crystallizes with two independent, near-identical molecules per asymmetric unit.
• Each molecule features a planar bipyridine core with terminal diethylamine groups oriented perpendicular to the core.
• The diethylamine groups act as spacers, resulting in a highly open framework and exceptionally low crystal density.
• C-H...pi interactions were identified as the dominant intermolecular forces, linking non-equivalent molecular moieties.

Conclusions:

• The compound exhibits an unusual, open supramolecular architecture driven by specific steric arrangements and C-H...pi interactions.
• The observed low density highlights the potential for designing lightweight organic materials.
• This structural motif provides insights into controlling molecular packing and density in organic crystals.