Clathrate compound of a new host material, 3-hydroxy-6-(4′-nitro)phenylazopyridine

The compound 3-hydroxy-6-(4'-nitro)phenylazopyridine (1) was observed to incorporate several organic solvents of crystallisation, forming stable clathrates. These clathrates decompose upon heating and the host material is chemically transformed. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies on the ethanol clathrate lead to a reasonable model for the host structure. But the guest molecules are severely disordered. Alternatively, the compound forms twinned crystals. The chemically closely related compound2 does not form clathrates