Extension of this reaction for the formation of aryl hydrazones of higher homologs of 2- formylpyridine presented the problem of preparation of substituted 2-pyridylacetic acids or their derivatives. Ethyl 2-pyridylacetate (I) is obtainable in 35-409; d yield by carbonation of 2- picolyllithium followed by esterification, 6 but application of this method to the ethylpyridyl homolog (11) gave only traces of impure product.
