Reactions of ethyl 4-chloro-5-pyrimidinecarboxylates with 2-aminopyridine. Synthesis of 5H-pyrido[1,2-A]pyrimido[5,4-e]pyrimidin-5-ones and 5H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidin-5-ones and rearrangement of the former to the latter

5H-Pyrido1,2-a]pyrimido5,4-e]pyrimidin-5-ones IVa,b and 5H-pyrido1,2-a]pyrimido4,5-d]pyrimidin-5-ones Va,b were synthesized from ethyl 4-chloro-5-pyrimidinecarboxylate and 2-aminopyridine. The former compounds were obtained directly upon heating the reactants in ethanol, and the latter were prepared by the fusion of ethyl 4-(2-pyridylamino)-5-pyrimidinecarboxylates obtained as minor products from the above reaction. The angular fused cyclic compounds, IVa,b were rearranged to the linear tricycles, Vb-f upon heating with amines.