The reactions of 1-substituted 2-nitro-3-phenylaminoprop-2-en-1-ones with cyano-thioacetamide afforded the corresponding 6-substituted 3-cyano-5-nitropyridine-2(1H)-thiones, which were used for the synthesis of 6-substituted 3-cyano-2-methylthio-5-nitropyridines and 7-substituted 4-hydroxy-8-nitropyrido[2',3':4,5]thieno[2,3-b]pyridin-2(1H)-ones.