Unusual regioselective reaction of 2,6-dichloro-4-methylnicotinonitrile with malononitrile dimer

Abstract

The reaction of 2,6-dichloro-4-methylnicotinonitrile with malononitrile dimer in the presence of triethylamine leads to regioselective nucleophilic substitution of the chlorine atom at position 6 with the formation of triethylammonium 2-amino-3-(6-chloro-5-cyano-4-methyl-pyridin-2-yl)-1,1,3-tricyanoprop-2-en-1-ide. The structure of the product was confirmed by spectral methods and X-ray diffraction analysis