Ortholithiation of 4-cyanopyridine using 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide (LiTMP) and trapping the lithio intermediate with electrophiles represents an efficient and straightforward access to ortho-substituted-4-cyanopyridines. The cyano group can be used as an ortho-directing group and allows the preparation of 3-halogeno-4-cyanopyridines. Reactivity of 2- and 3-cyanopyridines is also investigated and seems to give similar results. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.