Abstract A series of 5, 6-disubstituted 3-alkoxypyrazine-2-carbonitriles (2a-i) were prepared from 5, 6-disubstituted pyrazine-2, 3-dicarbonitriles (1a-d) by direct substitution with alcohols. Treatment of 1 with amines gave either pyrrolopyrazines (3a, b) or substitution products (4, 5). In a low temperature range, 1 afforded imidates and related compounds (6– 11). The preference among these reactions depended on the 5, 6-substituents and on the ...
