1-Bromo-2-trifluoroacetylcyclobutenes as novel building blocks for the construction of trifluoromethyl substituted heterocycles. Part 3: Synthesis of trifluoromethylsubstituted pyridines, condensed with cyclobutene moieties

This paper describes a general synthetic approach to 3-cyano-4-trifluoromethylpyridines fused with cyclobutene rings with variable spiro conjunctions. The reaction of various 1-bromo-2-trifluoroacetylcyclobutenes with ammonia results in the substitution of bromine with an NH2 group leading to corresponding enaminoketones in high yields, which, in turn, form the target pyridines by treatment with diethyl ethoxymethylencyanophosphonate in the presence of sodium hydride.