The synthesis of an
N
‐alkyl pyridinium salt involving the formation of an
N
‐(2,4‐dinitrophenyl)pyridinium chloride from pyridine and 2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene and subsequent treatment of the pyridinium chloride with a primary amine and 2,4‐dinitroaniline as a side product is generally referred to as the Zincke reaction or Zincke synthesis of pyridinium salt. Besides the effect of primary amine, the
N
‐(2,4‐dinitrophenyl)pyridinium chloride also decomposes in the presence of a secondary amine to afford an
N
,
N
‐disubstituted conjugated aldehyde and is known as Zincke aldehyde. Furthermore, dichloromethane as a solvent improves the opening of the pyridinium ring during the attack of amine for 3,4‐dialkylpyridinium salt. This reaction has been modified by using 2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene and cyanogen bromide, which activates the pyridine nucleus. This reaction has been broadly applied for the detection of nicotine, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, or trigonellin in urine.