N- 3-Dimethylamino-2-(4-pyridinyl)-2-propenylidene!-N- methylmethaniminium chloride hydrochloride, its use in preparing 5-(cyano or carbamyl)- 3,4'- bipyridin!-6(1H)-one and its use as a cardiotonic

摘要

Amrinone intermediates are prepared by reacting 4-picoline with at least three mole equivalents of phosgene per mole of 4-picoline and excess dimethylformamide to produce N-[3-dimethylamino-2-(4-pyridinyl)-2-propenylidene]-N-methylmethaniminium chloride hydrochloride, then reacting the latter with Q-CH2CONH2 and at least three mole equivalents of base in anhydrous medium and then neutralizing the reaction mixture to produce 5-Q-[3,4'-bipyridin]-6(1H)-one, where Q is cyano or carbamyl. Other aspects of the invention are the separate steps of preparing said iminium salt and then converting it to said 5-Q-[3,4'-bipyridin]-6(1H)-one, and also cardiotonic composition and method for increasing cardiac contractility using said iminium salt or pharmaceutically-acceptable acid-addition salt thereof as the active cardiotonic.