Pyridine was rapidly reduced into piperidine with samarium diiodide in the presence of water at room temperature in excellent yield. On the similar reactions of pyridine derivatives bearing chloro, amino and cyano functionalities with samarium diiodide-H2O-THF system, these functionalities were partly eliminated with this system to afford pyridine or piperidine. Furthermore, pyridinecarboxamides were reduced with this system to give the corresponding methylpyridines and 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid was reduced to give 2-methylpyridine as the major products.