6-Benzoyl-1-aryl-4-phenylpyridin-2(1H)-ones 8aâ c together with the corresponding 2-aryl-1,4-diphenylbut-2-ene-1,4-diones 9aâ c were obtained from the reaction of N ¹,N ²-diarylacetamidines 1aâ c with dibenzoylacetylene 2, while reaction of 1a,b with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate 11a and methyl propiolate 11b afforded only the acetamidineâ dimethyl maleate adducts (E)-12a,b and the acetamidineâ methyl acrylate adduct (E)-12c respectively.