Abstract 1-Aryl-5-cyano-6-(2-dimethylaminovinyl)-4-oxo-1, 4-dihydropyrimidines and their 4- thioxo analogs, which were prepared in three steps from cyanoacetamide and cyanothioacetamide, respectively, were subjected to hydrolysis. In aqueous AcOH, hydrolysis of N-(dimethylaminomethylene)-2-cyano-5-dimethylamino-2, 4-pentadieneamide derivatives containing amino groups at position 3 afforded formylpyridones. The reaction ...