This compound can be prepared in two related ways: 1) The condensation of diketene (I) with 2,2-(ethylenedioxy)propanol (II) by means of NaH in refluxing benzene gives 2,2-(ethylenedioxy)propyl acetylacetate (III), which is condensed with 2-nitrobenzaldehyde (IV) by means of piperidine and acetic acid in benzene, yielding 2,2-(ethylenedioxy)propyl 2-(2-nitrobenzylidene)acetoacetate (V). The cyclization of (V) with methyl 3-aminocrotonate (VI) in refluxing ethanol affords the protected dihydropyridine (VII), which is finally hydrolyzed with acetic acid in hot water. 2) The reaction of the acetoacetate (III), obtained as before, with ammonia in methanol gives the 3-aminocrotonate (VIII), which is cyclized with methyl 2-(2-nitrobenzylidene)acetoacetate (IX) in refluxing ethanol to afford the dihydropyridine (VII), already obtained.