N,N′‐Bis(2‐pyridyl)benzene‐1,2‐diamine

Hindered rotation about the partial double C—N bonds between the amine and pyridine moieties in the title mol­ecule, C₁₆H₁₄N₄, results in two different conformations of the N‐aryl‐2‐amino­pyridine units. One, assuming an E conformation, is involved in a pair of N—H?N hydrogen bonds that generate a centrosymmetric (8) motif. The second, adopting a Z conformation, is not engaged in any hydrogen bonding and is flattened, the dihedral angle between the benzene and pyridine rings being 12.07 (7)°. This conformation is stabilized by an intramolecular C—H?N interaction C?N = 2.9126 (19) Å, H?N = 2.31 Å and C—H?N = 120°].