Cyanoacetic acid derivatives are the starting materials for a plethora of multicomponent reaction (MCR) scaffolds. Herein, we describe scope of a valuable general protocol for the synthesis of arrays of 2-aminoquinoline-3-carboxamides from cyanoacetamides and 2- aminobenzaldehydes or heterocyclic derivatives via a Friedländer reaction variation. In many cases, the reactions involve a very convenient work up by simple precipitation and ...