Synthesis and X-ray Crystal Structures of Two Luminescent Imidazopyridinium Derivatives from the Corresponding N-(aryl)-Pyridine-2-aldimines

Syntheses and X-ray structural characterizations of two new luminescent imidazopyridinium derivatives, 2-(phenyl)-N(3)-(4(methyl)phenyl)-imidazo[1,5a] pyridinium perchlorate (1) and 2-(pyridyl)-N(3)-(4-(chloro)phenyl)-imidazo[1,5a] pyridinium perchlorate (2) are reported. The compounds are prepared in one step from N-(4-(methyl)phenyl) pyridine-2-aldimine and N-(4-(chloro)phenyl) pyridine-2-aldimine respectively in a transformation mediated by Mn(OAc)2-KMnO4 mixture. It is found that the molecular structures of the two compounds are similar. In the solid state, 1 forms a three-dimensional network through a series of hydrogen bonds between the cations and anions in the lattice while 2 forms a similar but less extensively linked network. The substitution of hydrogen at the 2-position of the imidazopyridinium ring by phenyl or 2-(pyridyl) affects the nature of their first excited states as detected by changes in their emission and absorption spectra.