Treatment of a benzenic solution of 4-piperidone hydrate (I) with anhydrous AlCl3 provided 4,4-diphenylpiperidine (II). Then, conjugate addition of acrylonitrile (III) in the presence of triethylamine in ethanol gave the cyanoethylpiperidine (IV), which was reduced with borane in THF to afford the intermediate primary amine (V). Dihydropyridine (IX) was prepared by Hantzsch synthesis by condensation of 3-aminocrotonamide (VI), 4-nitrobenzaldehyde (VII) and cyanoethyl acetoacetate (VIII) in refluxing ethanol. Cyanoethyl ester was then cleaved with dilute KOH at 0 C to give acid (X), which was finally coupled with amine (V) by treatment with DEC to yield the target amide.