A series of 3-cyano-pyridones carrying a variety of alkyl substituents at C-5 and C-6 has been synthesized and their solid-state structures have been studied. Hydrogen bonding interactions between individual pyridone molecules lead either to the formation of symmetric dimers of the R2 2 (8) type or to helical chains of the C(4) type. Based on known and calculated structures for the 2-pyridone parent system, the solid-state structures can be divided in two groups representing cases with little external influence on the hydrogen bonding array (group A) and those with a larger external influence (group B).