5,5 '-bis(trimethylsilylethynyl)-2,2 '-bipyridine

The title compound, 5,5'-bis(trimethylsilylethynyl)-2,2'-bipyridine, C20H24N2Si2, is a trimethylsilyl-protected dialkyne. It is a precursor in the preparation of platinum di-yne complexes and platinum poly-yne polymers. Such organic compounds are of interest because of the extended pi-conjugation that occurs through the hetero-aromatic linker unit in the molecular backbone. Within the molecule, the silyl-alkyne groups are essentially linear and the bipyridine unit is approximately planar with a dihedral angle of 5.3 (1)degrees between the planes.