Abstract The reactions of 6-substituted-2-aminopyridines with bromoacetone and 3-bromo-2- butanone have been investigated. In contrast to bromoacetone which gives a high yield of the imidazo [1, 2-a] pyridine, bromobutanone also produces significant amounts of material derived from substitution on the exocyclic nitrogen atom. These adducts, which are not a source of imidazopyridine in the reaction mixture, may be isolated and cyclised under ...