It has been found that pyridine-2-carboxamides of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is amino or a residue convertible into amino, and pharmaceutically usable acid addition salts of that carboxamide in which R is amino can be prepared in a simple manner and in good yield by reacting 2,5-dichloropyridine in the presence of a palladium-phosphine catalyst with an alkyne of the formulaR.sup.1 --C.tbd.CH IIIwherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen, lower-alkyl, trimethylsilyl or the group --(R.sup.2)(R.sup.3)--COH and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently are hydrogen or lower-alkyl or together are cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl,oxidizing the resulting alkyne to give 5-chloropyridine-2-carboxylic acid and reacting this acid or a reactive functional derivative thereof with an amino compound of the formulaor with carbon monoxide and an amino compound of formula VI or with carbon monoxide and a lower alkanol which is optionally mixed with water and reacting the resulting acid or the resulting ester with an amino compound of formula VI. The compound of formula I in which R is amino is a known compound which is a reversible and highly active MAO-B inhibitor.