The cyclization products of 5-cyano-2-hydrazino-6-phenyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-4-one (6) with one carbon inserting agents have been confirmed to be of the l,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidin-5(8//)-ones type and not the respective 7-ones, by comparing their alkylated deriva tives 10a, 11a, 27 and 28 with the product from the cyclization of the 3-methyl and 3-benzyl derivatives of 6. A novel alkylation process was found when triethyl orthoformate was used as a cyclizing agent. Dimroth rearrangement of 8, 14, 15, 24, 34 and 36 with 2% ethanolic KOH gave the respective triazolo[l,5-a]pyrimidinone 13, 18, 19, 25, 38 and 40, respectively. Using 10% ethanolic KOH led to a novel participation of the cyano group in the rearrange ment whereby 8a gave 7-imino-5-phenyl-l,2,4-triazolo[l,5-a]pyrimidine 22.