Bis(3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)benzenes: doubly-chelating binucleating ligands and encapsulation of a linear trisilver(I) moiety

The three isomeric bis(3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)benzenes (3–5) were prepared by reaction of 3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazole with the appropriate bis(bromomethyl)benzene. Reactions of each isomer with palladium(II) chloride and copper(II) chloride gave high yields of the corresponding binuclear complexes. Reaction of the ortho isomer with silver nitrate gave a complex which was shown by X-ray crystallography to contain a linear array of three silver atoms encapsulated by two molecules of the ligand.