A new face for bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine: Incompatible geometric preferences dictates unprecedented pincer ligand connectivity

The planar pincer ligand bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine, H2L, binds to copper(I) iodide to give a product of formula (H2L)(2)(CuI)(3) which single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals to have two unprecedented features for this ligand: kappa(2) binding of one H2L and bridging of the second H2L across two copper centers. The broader implications of this finding are discussed.