Thermodynamics of coordination of pyridine and its substituted derivatives to osmium tetroxide

Complexation of osmium tetroxide (OsO4) with pyridine and its substituted derivatives (i.e. 4-picoline, 3-picoline, 4-tertbutylpyridine, methyl nicotinate, 3,4-dimethylpyridine, 3-chloropyridine, and 3-phenylpyridine) has been studied at different temperatures in benzene. Spectrophotometric measurements have been carried out to obtain the equilibrium constants and thermodynamic parameters. The equilibrium constants of the resulting 1:1 complexes are found to vary in the order 3,4-Me2Py > 4-(BuPy)-Bu-t > 4-MePy > 3-MePy > Py > 3-PhPy > 3-C(O)OMePy approximate to 3-ClPy. All complexes are enthalpy stabilized whereas the entropy changes counteract the complexation. The results are discussed in terms of different basicities of the substituted pyridines.