Aminolysis of the cyanoketene-O,N-acetal 1 Z/E with the amines 2a,b le
ads to the E-configurated cyanoketeneaminals 3a,b. Compounds 3a,b are
reacted with 1,3-biselectrophiles 4, 6a,b, 9 HCl, 12, 13, 15a,b, 17, a
nd 19 to yield the N-2-substituted 2-aminonicotinonitriles 5, 7, 8, 10
, 11, 14, 16, and 20. Reaction of some 2-aminonicotinonitriles with an
ol-phenylethyl substituent in position 2 (14b, 16a, 8a, 20b, 5 and 8b
) with PPA leads to the primary 2-aminonicotinonitriles 21a-f.