Alkylation of 3-benzoylpyridine (I) with methyl 2-bromopropionate (II) in refluxing acetone afforded pyridinium salt (III). The subsequent regiospecific copper-catalyzed condensation of (III) with cyclohexylmagesium chloride (IV) yielded dihydropyridine (V). Finally, ammonolysis of the methyl acetate ester of (V) provided the title amide.