Reduction of the azomethine bond of 2-acetylpyridine thio-and selenosemicarbazones with sodium borohydride readily afforded the corresponding thio-or selenosemicarbazides when they were N4, N4-disubstituted. This conversion failed, however, when the thio-or selenosemicarbazones were N4-substituted or unsubstituted. A more general route to the desired thio-or selenosemicarbazides consisted of reduction with sodium borohydride of ...