Concave Reagents: Syntheses of Macrobicyclic Pyridines

Five new macrobicyclic pyridines 2a–c and 3a, b were synthesized in yields up to 56% and their basicity was determined in ethanol. p K a values larger than 3 were only found for 3a, b where no electron‐withdrawing groups were attached to the pyridine ring. The basicities of 3a, b are determined by the whole structure; the larger macrocyclic 3b showed the higher basicity.