The condensation of ethyl acetate (I) with 4-picoline (II) by means of n-butyllithium in THF gives 1-(4-pyridyl)propanone (III), which by reaction with the dimethylacetal of dimethylformamide (IV) in refluxing HMPT is converted into 4-dimethylamino-3-(4-pyridyl)-3-buten-2-one (V). Finally, this compound is cyclized with cyanacetamide (VI) by means of sodium methoxide in refluxing DMF.