Synthesis and lanthanide coordination properties of new 2,6-bis(N-tert-butylacetamide)pyridine and 2,6-bis(N-tert-butylacetamide)pyridine-N-oxide ligands.

The compound 2,6-bis(N-tert-butylacetamide)pyridine (2) was obtained via a Ritter synthesis, and oxidation with oxone provided the title pyridine-N-oxide (3). The compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods, and the molecular structure of the N-oxide was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The coordination chemistry with Eu(NO3)3 was examined by using 1:1 and 2:1 ligand/Eu ratios, and a single-crystal X-ray analysis for Eu(3)(NO3)3(H2O) was completed. The ligand 3 is found to chelate in a tridentate fashion on the Eu(III).