Regioselective syntheses of alkyl-and halogen-substituted piperazinylimidazo [1, 2-a] pyrazines by novel oxidationdehydration of [(@-hydroxyalkyl) amino] pyrazines are described. Lanthanide shift reagent studies allowed correction of literature assignments of NMR chemical shifts and coupling constants for the imidazo [1, 2-a] pyrazine ring system (eg, J5, 8> J6, J. Equilibrium constants for displacement of specifically bound [3H] ...