Synthesis of tetrakis(2-pyridyl)methane: the first tetrapyridylmethane

Tetrakis(2-pyridyl)methane has been synthesized as the first member of tetrapyridylmethane family by nucleophilic aromatic substitution of 2-chloropyridine with tris(2-pyridyl)methyl anion in refluxing aromatic hydrocarbons; the use of 2-bromopyridine resulted in electron transfer giving rearranged dimer of tris(2-pyridyl)methyl radical.