On-demand generation of an efficient catalyst for pyridine formation from unactivated nitriles and alpha,omega-diynes using CoCl2-6H2O, dppe, and Zn.

[reaction: see text] A highly practical, general method for catalytic formation of substituted pyridines from a variety of unactivated nitriles and alpha,omega-diynes is given. The reactions which were catalyzed by 5 mol % of dppe/CoCl2-6H2O in the presence of Zn powder (10 mol %) could proceed at rt to approximately 50 degrees C with high functional compatibility and regioselectivity.