We have previously shown that certain 2-mercaptopyridines (6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyridine-2-thiolates [2, 3] and 4-aryl-3-cyano-6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-2-thiolates 1 [4]) readily form condensed 1,3,5-thiadiazines when treated with HCHO-RNH 2 . Continuing our studies in this area we have attempted to synthesize novel pyrido[2,1-b][1,3,5]thiadiazines by treating the model tetrahydropyridine-2-thiolates 1 with isobutyraldehyde and primary aromatic amines.As expected, it was found that isobutyraldehyde was less active than HCHO in reaction with thiolates 1 and primary amines. Hence brief heating of isobutyraldehyde with pyridine-2-thiolates 1 and amines does not give the products of aminoalkylation, whereas a mixture of the thiolate 1, HCHO, and an amine readily forms high yields of pyrido[2,1-b][1,3,5]thiadiazines 2 [4] under the same conditions. Carrying out the reaction in more rigorous conditions (refluxing for 4-5 h) led to an unexpected result. In place of pyrido[2,1-b]-[1,3,5]thiadiazines 2, the only isolated products proved to be 7-aryl-3-arylamino-2-dimethyl-5-oxo-2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridine-8-carbonitriles 3a-f. It should be noted that this reaction represents