Synthesis of polysubstituted dihydropyridines by four-component reactions of aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile, arylamines, and acetylenedicarboxylate.

A practical and efficient procedure for the preparation of the polysubstituted dihydropyridines was developed through a unique four-component reaction of aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile, arylamines, and acetylenedicarboxylate in ethanol in the presence of triethylamine as a base promoter. This four-component reaction is atom-efficient, high-yielding, and applicable to a wide variety of four-component reactions.