Abstract Reactivities of 2-amino-4H-pyrido [1, 2-a] pyrimidin-4-ones and 4-amino-2H-pyrido [1, 2-a] pyrimidin-2-ones, both N, N-dialkyl and (N-alkyl, N-phenyl) substituted, when treated with the N, N-dimethylformamide/phosphorus oxychloride Vilsmeier-Haack reagent XII were compared.