Abstract
This review is concerned with the synthesis, structure, physico-chemical properties and reactivity of 3-cyanopyridin-2(1H)-ones, -thiones, and -selenones and their derivatives. The 3-cyanopyridin-2(1H)-ones, -thiones, and -selenones being bifunctional compounds containing nitrile and amide, thioamide, or selenoamide groups with an endocyclic nitrogen atom are widely used in the synthesis of different classes of annelated heterocycles possessing practically important properties.