Synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. XXIV. Synthesis of pyridines from β-substituted α-phenylacrylonitriles

The reaction of malononitrile with α-phenylcinnamonitriles in ethanolic sodium ethanethiolate is studied as a convenient route to 2-amino-4-aryl-5-cyano-6-ethylthio-3-phenyl-3,4-dihydropyridines ( 5 ) and the corresponding pyridines 6 . From the study of the structure of 5a (Ar = Ph) we can conclude that this cyclization reaction proceeds via a site-selective addition of the ethanethiolate to the cyano group i of the 1,3-tricarbonitrile ( 2 ).