Synthesis and structural analysis of 5‐cyanodihydropyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridines

Several new 3‐aryl‐5‐cyanopyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridines were easily prepared from 3‐amino‐5‐arylpyrazoles and α‐cyanochalcones. Structural analysis using NMR solution studies revealed the 2H‐tautomers as the preferred tautomer in solution (DMSO‐d6). X‐ray diffraction confirmed the 2H‐tautomers as the unique tau‐tomer species in the crystalline state as well. Geometry optimization of 1H and 2H‐tautomers at semi‐empirical levels (AM1, MINDO/3) were performed, indicating that in all cases the 2H‐tautomers are more stable than the corresponding 1H‐tautomers.