Process for the production of 2-alkyl or 2-cycloalkyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidines

Production of 2-alkyl or 2-cycloalkyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxy pyrimidines by first reacting diketene and lower alkanoic or cycloalkanoic acid amides in the presence of catalytic amounts of Lewis bases or Lewis or Bronsted acids, followed by treating the N-acetoacetyl (lower) alkanoic or cycloalkanoic acid amide intermediates with ammonia in the presence of acid catalysts