Bridgehead nitrogen heterocycles. VI. The reaction of 1-amino- and 1,2-diaminopyridinium salts with β-dicarbonyl compounds

1,2-Diaminopyridinium iodide underwent reaction with ethyl acetoacetate to form 1,4-dihydro-2-methyl-4-oxopyrido1,2-a]pyrimidin-1-ium iodide, and with acetyl acetone it gave 2,4-dimethylpyrido1,2-a]pyrimidin-5-ium iodide. Though 2-acetylcyclohexanone gave the corresponding 5-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrido1,2-a]quinazolin-11-ium iodide, no reaction was observed with 2,6-dimethyl-3,5-heptanedione, 1-benzoylacetone, 1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedione and its p-methoxyphenyl derivative. However, 1-aminopyridinium iodide and acetyl acetone in the presence of base gave 3-acetyl-2-methylpyrazolo1,5-a]pyridine and 1-amino-2-methylpyridinium iodide yielded the corresponding 3-acetyl-2,7-dimethylpyrazolo1,5-a]pyridine. With ethyl acetoacetate, the latter salt formed 3-ethoxycarbonyl-2,7-dimethylpyrazolo1,5-a]pyridine but with 2,6-dimethyl substituents in the pyridine ring no condensation occurred. Reaction of 1-amino-2-methylpyridinium iodide with benzaldehyde gave N-benzalimino-2-methylpyridinium iodide which, on treatment with base, resulted in the formation of 2-picoline and benzonitrile, providing a convenient method of deamination.