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

Palladium-based carbon-carbon coupling reactions in sequence with halogen-e xchange chemistry on a series of heterocycles lead to an efficient syntheti c strategy for oligopyridines that bind metal ions such as ruthenium to for m coordination racks, The particular structures are designed to form terpyr idine subunits for octahedral binding. Reaction of 4,6-diiodopyrimidine pro duces a "double-bay" terpyridine from which binuclear coordination complexe s have been formed.