The hydrolysis of 2,6-diaminopyridine (I) in 36% aqueous hydrochloric acid leads to 2-amino-6-hydroxypyridine (II), which can be converted by several ways to the final product CGP 28014. Two are described here: a) Conversion of 2-amino-6-hydroxypyridine (II) with N,N-dimethylformamide diethylacetal gives the N-(2-oxopyridin-6-yl)-N',N'-dimethylformamidine (IV), which is transaminated with dipropylamine to CGP 28014. b) Reaction of 2-amino-6-hydroxypyridine (II) with ethyl-N-cyanoformimidate (2) yields N-(2-oxopyridin-6-yl)-N'-cyanoformamidine (III), which is heated with dipropylamine to give CGP 28014.