Diazotization of 2-nitro-4-(4-pyridinyl)aniline (4) in hydrobromic acid gave the corresponding bromo derivative 5 which was treated with cuprous cyanide to give the benzonitrile derivative 6 which in turn was converted to 2-nitroacetophenone derivative 9. Reduction of 9 followed by diazotization of the resulting amine 10 gave 7-(4-pyridinyl)cinnolin-4(1H)-one (11) which was subsequently converted to