5--Arylaminothiazoles with pyridyl groups and their first-row transition metal complexes: synthesis, photophysical properties, and Zn sensing.

A series of 5--arylaminothiazoles were synthesized with facile diversity-oriented synthesis from readily available starting materials the reaction of thioamide dianions and thioformamides. The introduction of various substituents at the 2-position of a thiazole ring (, 2-pyridyl, 4-methylpyridyl, and phenyl groups) and on the nitrogen atom (, -tolyl and phenyl groups) significantly influenced the absorption and emission spectra of the isolated compounds. X-ray analysis confirmed that the substituents at the amino site were twisted from a thiazole ring, while the formation of its nickel complex showed dinuclear metal complexes bridged with chlorine atoms.