Base-mediated and/or palladium (0)-catalysed bis (allylation) of alkyl 2-(tolylsulfonyl) acetates gives 1, 6-dienes, which upon ozonolytic cleavage of the double bonds and ammonolysis give 2, 6-disubstituted pyridine-4-carboxylic esters. Decarboxylation of one of the 1, 6-diene intermediates followed by deprotonation–alkylation and ozonolysis– ammonolysis gives a 2, 4, 6-trisubstituted pyridine.