A variable temperature H-1 NMR Study of the [3.3](3,5)pyridinophane indicated that the syn(chair/chair) is more stable than syn(chair/boat) by 0.2 kcal/mol in solution, whereas the trimethylene bridges show disorder even at -150 degrees C in the solid state. A transition state search by ab initio MO calculations suggested two competitive conformational changes for syn(chair/chair)-syn(chair/boat) conversion via a bridge wobble or a ring inversion in the [3.3](3,5)pyridinophane. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.