A new method was found for the homogeneous liquid-phase alkylation of α-, β-, and γ- picolines with either methanol or ethanol. Addition of a catalytic amount of an ammonium halide to a mixture of a picoline and an alcohol resulted in a great increase in the yields of both side-chain-and α-alkylated derivatives of the starting picoline when the reaction was carried out at 320-335 C in an atmosphere of nitrogen. The higher the reaction ...