PROCESS FOR PREPARING 1,2-DIHYDRO-6-ALKYL-2-OXO-5- (PYRIDINYL)NICOTINONITRILE FROM (PYRIDINYL)-METHYL ALKYL KETONE BY REACTING ITS .alpha.-(LOWER- ALKOXYMETHYLIDENE) DERIVATIVEWITH MALONONITRILE

摘要

The invention resides in a process for preparing cardiotonically active 1,2-dihydro-6-(lower-alkyl)-2-oxo-5-(pyridinyl)nicotinonitriles which comprises reacting a pyridinylmethyl lower-alkyl ketone with tri-(lower-alkyl) orthoformate, acetic anhydride and acetic acid to produce a 2-(lower-alkoxy)-1- (pyridinyl)ethenyl lower-alkyl ketone, and then reacting this ketone with malononitrile in a lower-alkanol, where pyridinyl is 4- or 3-pyridinyl, or 4or 3-pyridinyl having one or two lower-alkyl substituents.