Both visnaginone and khellinone react with malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacetate or cyanoacetamide in presence of ammonium acetate to give substituted furobenzopyrans or furobenzopyridones.However, the reaction of visnaginone and khellinone with aldehydes, and malononitrile in presence of ammonium acetate leads to the formation of the corresponding 2-amino-4,6-disubstituted pyridine 3-carbonitriles. The latter compounds are also obtained by treating the respective chalcones with malononitrile and ammonium acetate.3-Substituted 1,3-diketobutyrates form with malononitrile or with cyanoacetamide and ammonium acetate the 2-amino-4,6-disubstituted pyridine-3-carbonitriles or the 4,6-di-substituted cyanopyridones, respectively