The chemistry of pyrazine and its derivatives. X. The mono‐ and diacylation of tetramethylpyrazine

Abstract
By the use of sodium amide in liquid ammonia or phenyllithium in ether as the condensing agent it has been possible to synthesize a series of ketones containing the pyrazine ring with the structure, RCOCH2C4N2(CH3)3 where R is alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic. Also, under appropriate conditions, tetramethylpyrazine has been diacylated to give three diketones of the type (2‐RCOCH2)‐(6‐R' COCH2)C4N2(CH3)2‐3, 5.