4-Pyridone exists a keto-enol tautomerism with its enol tautomer 4-hydroxypyridine. In solution, the keto tautomer is favoured,[4] and the enol tautomer only becomes important in very dilute solutions or solutions of non-polar solvents. However, the enol tautomer is dominant in the gas phase.[5]
^Weygand, Conrad (1972). Hilgetag, G.; Martini, A. (eds.). Weygand/Hilgetag Preparative Organic Chemistry (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 533–534. ISBN0471937495.
^Van Allan, J. A.; Reynolds, G. A.; Alessi, J. T.; Chie Chang, S.; C. Joines, R. (1971). "Reactions of 4-pyrones with primary amines. A new class of ionic associates". Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry. 8 (6): 919–922. doi:10.1002/jhet.5570080606.
^Cook, Denys (1963). "The Preparation, Properties, and Structure of 2,6-bis-(Alkyamino)-2,5-heptadien-4-ones". Canadian Journal of Chemistry. 41 (6): 1435–1440. doi:10.1139/v63-195.