Alkylazinylcarbonitriles as building blocks in heterocyclic synthesis: a route for the synthesis of 4-methyl-2-oxopyridines

The reaction of 1 with active methylene reagents afforded the enaminoamides 2 which readily cyclised to the pyridones 5. Compound 5 condensed with DMF DMA to afford the dimethylamino pyridones 8. These coupled with aryldiazoni um chloride to give hydrazonoals 10. Compound 2 coupled with aromatic diazo nium salts to yield the arylazopyridines 4.