2,6-Bis[1-(2-methylphenylimino)ethyl]pyridine

The molecule of the title compound, C23H23N3, which was synthesized by the condensation reaction between 2,6-diacetylpyridine and 2-dimethylaniline, adopts an E configuration about both C=N imine bonds. The dihedral angles formed by the benzene rings with the pyridine ring are 89.68 (5) and 53.62 (6)°.

The molecule of the title compound, C 23 H 23 N 3 , which was synthesized by the condensation reaction between 2,6diacetylpyridine and 2-dimethylaniline, adopts an E configuration about both C N imine bonds. The dihedral angles formed by the benzene rings with the pyridine ring are 89.68 (5) and 53.62 (6) .  supporting information ). E65, o1480 [doi:10.1107

2,6-Bis[1-(2-methylphenylimino)ethyl]pyridine
Rui-Qing Fan, Xiao-Dong Ding, Guang-Peng Zhou and Yu-Lin Yang S1. Comment Luminescent coordination compounds based on pyridine-type ligands have attracted intensive attention due to their potential application in areas of sensor technologies and electro-luminescent devices (Tang & Vanslyke, 1987;Wang, 2001). In order to explore potential luminescent complexes of this type, we prepared a series of bis(iminoalkyl)pyridine ligands by the condensation reaction of 2,6-diacetylpyridine with the corresponding aniline in methanol (Fan et al., 2004). It is still challenging to design and rationally synthesize ligands with unique structures and functions. In this regard, we report herein the synthesis and crystal structure of the title compound.

S2. Experimental
The title compound was synthesized according to the literatute method (Fan et al., 2004). To a solution of 2,6-diacetylpyridine (1.1 g, 6.7 mmol) in absolute methanol (25 ml) was added 2-dimethylaniline (2.2 ml, 20.5 mmol). After the addition of several drops of formic acid, the reaction mixture was refluxed for 24 h and then allowed to cool down to room temperature. The crude product precipitated as yellow powder. Yellow block crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis were obtained by slow evaporation of a methanol solution in 85% yield (1.96 g).

S3. Refinement
All H atoms were positioned geometrically with C-H = 0.93-0.96 Å, and allowed to ride on their parent atoms with U iso (H) = 1.2 U eq (C) or 1.5 U eq (C) for methyl H atoms.  The molecular structire of the title compound showing the atom-labelling scheme. Displacement ellipsoids are drawn at the 50% probability level.

Figure 2
Packing diagram of the title compound viewed along the c axis. Refinement. Refinement of F 2 against ALL reflections. The weighted R-factor wR and goodness of fit S are based on F 2 , conventional R-factors R are based on F, with F set to zero for negative F 2 . The threshold expression of F 2 > σ(F 2 ) is used only for calculating R-factors(gt) etc. and is not relevant to the choice of reflections for refinement. R-factors based on F 2 are statistically about twice as large as those based on F, and R-factors based on ALL data will be even larger.