A new series of potentially hexadentate ligands derived from 2,2′-bipyridine

Reaction of 2,2′-bipyridine-6-carboxaldehyde with the appropriate aliphatic diamine in MeOH and subsequent reduction with NaBH₄ gives the new, potentially hexadentate, ligands N,N′-bis(2,2′-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (bmet), N,N′-bis(2,2′-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)propane-1,3-diamine (bmpp) and N,N′-bis(2,2′-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)hexane-1,6-diamine (bmhx). The syntheses and characterisation of these ligands are reported; the ligands are isolated as the hydrochloride salts, with purification effected by either recrystallisation or cation exchange chromatography. Co(bmet)](ClO₄)₃ · H₂O is obtained on reaction of bmet · 4.25HCl · 2.5H₂O with Na₃Co(O₂CO)₃] · 3H₂O, and X-ray structural analysis shows this to have a pair of very short Co–N bonds. The synthesis and characterisation of the first coordination complex containing 6-(aminomethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine (amb) is also described.