Reaction of 6-arylmethylene-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-benzocyclo-hepten-5-ones (1) with malononitrile in the appropriate alcohol in the presence of sodium afforded the corresponding 2-alkoxy-4-aryl- 6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[6,7]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridine-3-carbonitriles (2) and not their isomeric forms 2-alkoxy-4-aryl-6,7-dihydro-5H-benzo[3,4]-cyclohepta[1,2-c]pyridine-1-carbonitriles (3). The proposed structure was confirmed via independent synthesis of (2) through the reaction of 6,7,8,9- tetrahydro-5-benzocycloheptenone (4) with the appropriate ylidenemalononitriles 5 under the same reaction conditions. Single crystal X-ray diffraction proves the structures of 2a,b.