One-dimensional C-H...N hydrogen-bonded polymers in flexible tetrapyridyl systems.

In N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)propane-1,3-diamine, C(27)H(30)N(6), (I), and N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)butane-1,4-diamine, C(28)H(32)N(6), (II), the twofold rotational symmetry of (I) favours the formation of a one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded polymer with two columns of C-H...N hydrogen bonds, while the inversion symmetry of (II) allows the formation of a one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded polymer stabilized by four columns of C-H...N hydrogen bonds. The possible role played by the chain length of the linking alkanediamine in determining the type of supramolecular architecture in this series of compounds is discussed.