Derivatives and reactions of glutaconaldehyde—XIII: Regiospecific ring opening of 3-substituted pyridines

A number of nucleophilic ring openings of 3-substituted pyridinium salts have been reinvestigated and summarized. The structure of the resulting stable glutaconaldehyde derivatives was investigated in detail by ¹H NMR. It has been concluded that in general nucleophilic pyridinium ring openings are highly regiospecific. In each case investigated to date a single product was isolated, as a result of attack by the nucleophile at only one of the pyridine α-positions. With the OH ion as the only nucleophile, attack occurs at the pyridine C-2, while larger nucleophiles such as amines and carbanions attack at the pyridine C-6. This was found to be the case for a variety of 3-substituted pyridines such as 3-methyl, 3-methoxy-, 3-cyano-, 3 chloro-pyridine.