From uncharged to decacationic molecules: syntheses and spectroscopic properties of heteroarenium-substituted pyridines.

Nucleophilic substitutions on pentachloropyridine with 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine, 4-aminopyridine, and 4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridine give mono-, tri- and pentacationic pyridine-hetarenium salts. The mono-, tri- and pentacationic 4-aminopyridine derivatives can be deprotonated to neutral compounds in solution, or protonated to di-, hexa- and decacationic pyridine derivatives, respectively. Successive substitutions with different heteroaromatic nucleophiles give pyridines with two distinct types of heteroarenium substituents.