New reactivity of 1-(2-pyridyl)-2-propen-1-ol with nitro derivatives

1-(2-Pyridyl)-2-propen-1-ol showed an unprecedented reactivity behaving as Hantzsch ester 1,4-dihydropyridine mimic for the metal-free reduction of the nitro group of electron-deficient aromatic and heteroaromatic nitro compounds to the corresponding amino function. The redox mechanism is part of a domino process involving a direct trapping of the amino derivatives through aza-Michael addition to the vinyl ketone intermediate leading to the one-pot formation of new functionalised aminoacylpyridines.