The reaction of enolisable ketones with 1-alkyl-1-cyanohydrazines leads to the corresponding cyanohydrazones. These compounds cyclise under thermal or mildly basic conditions, furnishing the corresponding 5-aminopyrazoles in good yield. In some cases, the hydrazones cannot be isolated and the pyrazole derivatives are directly obtained. Hydrazone-enehydrazine tautomerism was observed, bat no subsequent [3,3]rearrangement. (C) 1997, Elsevier Science Ltd.