1-Bromo-2-trifluoroacetylcyclobutenes as novel building blocks for the construction of trifluoromethyl substituted heterocycles. Part 3: Synthesis of trifluoromethylsubstituted pyridines, condensed with cyclobutene moieties

This paper describes a general synthetic approach to 3-cyano-4-trifluoromethylpyridines fused with cyclobutene rings with variable spiro conjunctions. The reaction of various 1-bromo-2-trifluoroacetylcyclobutenes with ammonia results in the substitution of bromine with an NH₂ group leading to corresponding enaminoketones in high yields, which, in turn, form the target pyridines by treatment with diethyl ethoxymethylencyanophosphonate in the presence of sodium hydride.