Synthesis and structural characterisation of amides from picolinic acid and pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid

Coupling picolinic acid (pyridine-2-carboxylic acid) and pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid with N-alkylanilines affords a range of mono- and bis-amides in good to moderate yields. These amides are of interest for potential applications in catalysis, coordination chemistry and molecular devices. The reaction of picolinic acid with thionyl chloride to generate the acid chloride in situ leads not only to the N-alkyl-N-phenylpicolinamides as expected but also the corresponding 4-chloro-N-alkyl-N-phenylpicolinamides in the one pot. The two products are readily separated by column chromatography. Chlorinated products are not observed from the corresponding reactions of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid. X-Ray crystal structures for six of these compounds are described. These structures reveal a general preference for cis amide geometry in which the aromatic groups (N-phenyl and pyridyl) are cis to each other and the pyridine nitrogen anti to the carbonyl oxygen. Variable temperature 1H NMR experiments provide a window on amide bond isomerisation in solution.