Synthesis of N-unsubstituted and N-methyl derivatives of 4-aryl-2,6-dimethyl-1,2-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles

In the reduction of 2,6-dimethyl-4-arylpyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles or their N-oxides by sodium borohydride, a mixture of 1,2- and 1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles is formed. 1,2,6-Trimethyl-4-aryl-1,2-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles were obtained by reducing the corresponding pyridinium perchlorates or by alkylating 4-aryl-2,6-dimethyl-1,2-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarbonitrile derivatives by methyl iodide.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 81–85, January, 1987.