A series of substituted 3,4-dihydro-2-pyrimidones (DHPMs) was reacted with nitric acid under different reaction conditions. Treatment of DHPMs with 50-65% nitric acid at 0 °C led to the formation of the corresponding dehydrogenated 2-pyrimidones in moderate to good yields. In contrast, reaction of one representative DHPM with 60% nitric acid at 50 °C led to an unusually stable nitrolic acid, involving a formal nitration, nitrosation, and dehydrogenation step. The molecular structure of this product was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis