The reaction of 2(3)-formylglycals with malononitrile afforded push-pull bu
tadienes with a sugar moiety. The treatment of these branched-chain sugars
with ammonia yielded nicotinonitrile acyclo-C-nucleosides. Furthermore, a o
ne step ring transformation of 2(3)-formylglycals with N-aryl-acetoacetanil
ides to give pyridone acyclo-C-nucleosides is described.