A process for preparing substituted 2-ethylaminopyridine derivatives of the formula and corresponding salts thereof, Wherein p is an integer equal to 1, 2, 3 or 4; each substituent X is chosen, independently of the others, as being halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl; characterized in that in step a substituted 2-methyl cyanopyridyl derivative according to formula wherein p is an integer equal to 1, 2, 3 or 4; each substituent X is chosen, independently of the others, as being halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl; is hydrogenated in the presence of a metal catalyst being Palladium catalysts selected from the group being Pd/C, Pd 2 /C, Palladium oxide/C, mixed Palladium oxide-hydroxide/C, Palladium oxide/Al 2 O 3, mixed Palladium oxide-hydroxide/ Al 2 O 3, Palladium oxide/SiO 2, mixed Palladium oxide-hydroxide/ SiO 2 Pd/CaCO 3, Pd/C-diphenylsulfide, Pd/Al 2 O 3, Pd/SiO 2, Pd/BaSO 4, Pd acetate-Polymethylhydrosiloxane, Pd (Fe)/C, Pd/C 5% sulfur, Pt/C, Pt/C-5% sulfur, Pt/Al 2 O 3, a catalyst modifier being organic or inorganic sulfur-containing compounds such as thiophene, tetrahydrothiophene, 2-mercaptophenol, cysteine, 3,6-dithia 1,8 octadiol, 2,2'-thiobisethanol, diphenyl sulfide, thiophenol, thioanisole, sulfolane, thiourea, Na 2 S 2 O 3 -xH 2 O, Na 2 S, amines such as alkylamines, benzylamines, pyridines, morpholines, polyamines, amidines, such as chinoline; inorganic or organic compounds comprising phosphor being PPh 3; molybdenum containing compounds such as Mo 6 Vanadium oxides or sulphides, such as V oxide, V oxide, V sulfide, NH 4 VO 3; Lewis acids, such as ZnBr 2, ZnCl 2, MgBr 2, MgO, salts comprising Fe, such as FeCl 2, FeCl 3, Fe(OAc) 2; tetraalkylammonium salts, such as iodides, bromides and chlorides such as n-tetramethylammonium iodide, n-tetraethylammonium iodide, n-tetrabutylammonium iodide, n-tetramethylammonium bromide (TMAB), n-tetraethylammonium bromide, n-tetrabutylammoniumbromide (TBAB), n-tetramethylammonium chloride, n-tetraethylammonium chloride, n-tetrabutylammoniumchloride; inorganic salts such as halides, such as NaCl, NaBr, NaI, KCl, KBr, KI, LiBr or MgBr 2, AlCl 3, CeCl 3, CuCl, CuBr, CuI, CuBr 2, and an acid. Wherein p is an integer equal to 1, 2, 3 or 4; each substituent X is chosen, independently of the others, as being halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl; characterized in that wherein p is an integer equal to 1, 2, 3 or 4; each substituent X is chosen, independently of the others, as being halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl; is hydrogenated in the presence of a metal catalyst being Palladium catalysts selected from the group being Pd/C, Pd 2 /C, Palladium oxide/C, mixed Palladium oxide-hydroxide/C, Palladium oxide/Al 2 O 3, mixed Palladium oxide-hydroxide/ Al 2 O 3, Palladium oxide/SiO 2, mixed Palladium oxide-hydroxide/ SiO 2 Pd/CaCO 3, Pd/C-diphenylsulfide, Pd/Al 2 O 3, Pd/SiO 2, Pd/BaSO 4, Pd acetate-Polymethylhydrosiloxane, Pd (Fe)/C, Pd/C 5% sulfur, Pt/C, Pt/C-5% sulfur, Pt/Al 2 O 3, a catalyst modifier being organic or inorganic sulfur-containing compounds such as thiophene, tetrahydrothiophene, 2-mercaptophenol, cysteine, 3,6-dithia 1,8 octadiol, 2,2'-thiobisethanol, diphenyl sulfide, thiophenol, thioanisole, sulfolane, thiourea, Na 2 S 2 O 3 -xH 2 O, Na 2 S, amines such as alkylamines, benzylamines, pyridines, morpholines, polyamines, amidines, such as chinoline; inorganic or organic compounds comprising phosphor being PPh 3; molybdenum containing compounds such as Mo 6 Vanadium oxides or sulphides, such as V oxide, V oxide, V sulfide, NH 4 VO 3; Lewis acids, such as ZnBr 2, ZnCl 2, MgBr 2, MgO, salts comprising Fe, such as FeCl 2, FeCl 3, Fe(OAc) 2; tetraalkylammonium salts, such as iodides, bromides and chlorides such as n-tetramethylammonium iodide, n-tetraethylammonium iodide, n-tetrabutylammonium iodide, n-tetramethylammonium bromide (TMAB), n-tetraethylammonium bromide, n-tetrabutylammoniumbromide (TBAB), n-tetramethylammonium chloride, n-tetraethylammonium chloride, n-tetrabutylammoniumchloride; inorganic salts such as halides, such as NaCl, NaBr, NaI, KCl, KBr, KI, LiBr or MgBr 2, AlCl 3, CeCl 3, CuCl, CuBr, CuI, CuBr 2, and an acid.