A convenient preparative method for anionic tris(substituted pyrazolyl)methane ligands

The synthesis of tris[3-(6-carboxypyridin-2-yl)pyrazol-1-yl]methane is described in a linear multi-step protocol. The pyridyl-pyrazolyl arms are first constructed before being condensed with chloroform. Careful study of the condensation reaction shows the presence of an isomeric form of the tris(pyrazolyl)methane derivative in which one of the pyrazolyl substituents is linked through the nitrogen atom at the 2 position of the pyrazol. After acid-catalysed isomerisation to the desired isomer, the intermediate compound was subjected to a carboalkoxylation reaction and a subsequent hydrolysis. These are some rare examples of reactions directly occurring on the tris(pyrazolyl)methane platforms.