Abstract A convenient and general method for the preparation of sixteen 3, 5- diarylsubstituted 2, 4-and 2, 6-dimethylpyridines of high forensic importance is described. The Suzuki cross-coupling reaction between a range of ring-substituted phenylboronic acids and 3, 5-dibromo-2, 4-dimethylpyridine and 3, 5-dibromo-2, 6-dimethylpyridine was used as a key step.