Base-Promoted N-Pyridylation of Heteroarenes Using N-Propargyl Enaminones as Equivalents of Pyridine Scaffolds

N-Pyridylation of various N-heteroarenes, including N-heteroarene-containing peptides, was achieved using N-propargyl enaminones (isolated or generated in situ from propargyl amine and propynones) as masked polysubstituted pyridine cores. This metal-free procedure proceeds under mild reaction conditions and generates 1 equiv of H2O as the sole byproduct