N-(4H-1,2,4-Triazol-4-yl)imines as a building block for the synthesis of substituted pyridines.

We report a base-catalysed synthesis of substituted pyridines from α,β-unsaturated ketones (or arylmethylketones) and N-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)imines, where the latter serve as both an N-source and a building block. This versatile protocol provides access to 2,4,6-triarylpyridines, 2,4-diaryl-5-methylpyridines, 5-methylpyridines, and alicyclic [b]-fused pyridines.