Approaches for the preparation of cyanoacetamide derivatives as well as the chemical reactivity profiles and structures of these substances are reviewed. The utility of these compounds as precursors is emphasized in the synthesis of five-and six-membered heterocycles and their fused heterocycles. The reported heterocyclic compounds in this review article are classified according to the kind of the heterocyclic systems.

The 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra of compounds 5a, 5b, 7a-c, 8 and 10a-c are represented in Fig. 1-14. Unfortunately, due to poor solubility, good 13 C NMR spectra of compounds 5a, 5b, 7a, and 8 could not be obtained.

Cyclic enaminone and cyanoacetamide derivative with incorporated sulfamethoxazole moiety were prepared. Their reactions with arylidenemalononitrile derivatives in ethanol or pyridine/piperidine at reflux yielded the corresponding hexahydroquinoline and 6‐amino‐2‐oxopyridine‐3,5‐dicarbonitrile derivatives incorporating sulfamethoxazole. The mechanism and structural elucidation of products were discussed.