2-Ethyl-5-hydroxy-3,6-dimethylpyrazine

A maltol-ammonia browning reaction produced thirteen pyrazines, two pyrroles, two oxazoles, and one pyridine (12). The major products of this system were 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-6-methylpyridine and 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine. It is difficult to construct possible formation mechanisms for these compounds from maltol and ammonia. All the carbon atoms must come from maltol. It is possible, then, that maltol degrades into smaller carbon units and that these fragments recombine to form larger carbon units, producing these compounds. Recently, the formation of thiophenones and thiophenes from the reaction of 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone and cysteine or cystine was reported (13. 14). All these reaction mixtures were reported to possess a cooked meat-like flavor. 

Refluxing phosphoms tribromide converted 2-bromo-3-hydroxy-5,6-diphenyl-pyrazine and 2-bromo-5-hydroxy-3,6-diphenylpyrazine to the dibromopyrazines 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dimethylpyrazine and 2,5-dichloro-3-phenylpyrazine to the dibromopyrazines (817) 5-chloro-2,3-diphenylpyrazine (and its 6-ethyl derivative) to 5-bromo-2,3-diphenylpyrazine (and its 6-ethyl derivative) (866) and 2-hydroxy-... 

Methoxypyrazines (31) have been prepared by diazomethane methylation of 2-hydroxy-3-isobutylpyrazine (60, 311, 367), 2-hydroxy-3-isopropylpyrazine (59, 367), 2-hydroxy-3-propyl(ethyl or hexyl)pyrazine (367), 3-hydroxy-2-isobutyl-5(and 6)methylpyrazine and 2-hydroxy-3-isobutyl-5,6-dimethylpyrazine (368), 2,3-dihydroxypyrazine (832), 2-hydroxy-5-methoxy- and 2,5-dihydroxy-3,6-diphenyl-pyrazine (832), 2-hydroxy-6-methoxy(and benzyloxy)pyrazine (832), 2,6-dihydroxy-3,5-diphenylpyrazine (873), 2,3,5-trifluoro-6-hydroxypyrazine (851), 2-chloro-6-hydroxy-3,5-diphenylpyrazine (873), 2-chloro-6-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-phenylpyrazine (873), 2-chloro-6-hydroxy-3-methyl-5-phenylpyrazine (873), 5,6-dichloro-1 -cyclohexyl-34iydroxy-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine (853), 2-chloro-5-hydroxy-3-methoxy-6-methoxycarbonylpyrazine (881), 2-(4 -amino-3, 5 -dibromo-phenylsulfonamido)-3Tiydroxy-6-methoxypyrazine (881), 2-amino-3-hydroxy-... 

Methylation (666, 912) of 2-methoxypyrazine with methyl iodide in dimethyl sulfoxide at room temperature gave 3-methoxy-l-methylpyrazinium iodide with a rate of methylation relative to pyrazine of 1.05 (666). 2-Methoxypyrazine with tetracyanoethylene oxide gave a small yield of 3 ethoxypyrazinium dicyano-methylide (53) (1094). Alkylation of 2-methoxypyrazine with ethyl methyl ketone in the presence of sodium in liquid ammonia to give 2-s-butyl-6-methoxypyrazine (17%) has been described (614). The reactions of 3-hydroxy-2,5-dimethylpyrazine and alkylhalides have been examined (1095). 

Treatment of diphenylacetonitrile in toluene with sodium amide and 2-chloro-pyrazine gave 2-(C-cyano-C,C-diphenylmethyl)pyrazine (1021), and 2-vinylpyrazine with phenylacetonitrile and sodium heated at 120-130° for 10 minutes gave 2-(3 -cyano-3 -phenylpropyl)pyrazine (731). 2-Amino-5-bromomethyl-3-cyano-pyrazine with sodium hydride and methyl cyanoacetate in tetrahydrofuran formed the dialkylated product (56) (1031). 2-Amino-3-mercapto-5,6-dimethylpyrazine in methanol with potassium hydroxide and chloroacetonitrile gave 2-amino-3-cyanomethyIthio-5,6-dimethylpyrazine (1229), and 2-carboxypyrazine refluxed with chloroacetonitrile and triethylamine in ethyl acetate for 45 minutes gave the cyanomethyl ester (1317). 2-Hydroxy 5-methyl-3-propylpyrazine with cyanogen halides in aqueous sodium hydroxide-dimethylformamide at 0-5° gave l-cyano-5-methyl-2-oxo-3-propyl-l, 2-dihydropyrazine (1123). 

Irradiation of 2,5-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-3,6-dimethylpyrazine in diethyl ether with a 450-W high-pressure mercury lamp (330 nm) gave two significant photoproducts 2-hydroxy-5-methoxycarbonyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine and l-(l -ethoxy-ethyl)2,5-dimethoxycarbonyl-3,6-dimethyl-l, 4-dihydropyrazine (74). Similar products were isolated when tetrahydrofuran was used as solvent. Corresponding reactions were observed with 2,5-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)-3,6-dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-diacetyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine, and 2,5-dibenzoyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine. The mechanism of these reactions were investigated and the initial stage was found to be... 

Ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine 211 5-Hydroxy-2,4-decadienoic acid 5-lactone 259 /-Menthol /-menthol (synthetic)... 

The Maillard reaction between reducing sngars and amino acids under specific conditions (pH, water activity, and temperature) is primarily responsible for the production of heterocyclic volatile compounds such as pyrazines, pyridines, pyrroles, furans, and the Strecker aldehydes. Maillard reactions produce many potent aroma compounds identified in some roasted tree nuts, including 3-methylbutanal, 2,3-butanedione, methional, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, and 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2//)-furanone, among others. 

Chang et al. [73] and Nawar et al. [74] have identified many of the volatiles formed during deep fat frying. They have found numerous acids, alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, ketones, lactones, esters, aromatics, and a few miscellaneous compounds (e.g., pentylfuran and 1,4-dioxane) as products of deep fat frying. More recently, Wagner and Grosch [75] have studied the key contributors to French fry aroma. The list of key aroma compounds in French fries includes 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, (E,Z), (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, methylpropanal, 2- and 3-methylbutanal, and methanethiol. If one examines this list, it is obvious that the Maillard reaction (pyrazines, branched chain aldeydes, furanones, and methional), and lipid oxidation (nnsaturated aldehydes) are the primary sources of this characteristic aroma. 

Fig. 21.2. Changes in the concentration of potent odorants in the roasting process (according to Mayer et al. 1999). Arabica coffee from Colombia was slightly ( ), moderately ( ) and strongly ( ) roasted. 1, 2,3-Butandione 2, 4-Hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone 3, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine 4, 2-fur-furylthiol 5, guaiacol...

Additional odorous components, such as 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, biacetyl, 3-methylbutanal, 2-phenylethanal and others are found in dark rye bread. Toasted bread contains the same compounds that carry the aroma of bread crust and crumb. A key component is again 2-acetyl-l-pyrroHne, other major components are methional, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-2H-furan-3-one (furaneol), ( )-non-2-enal and biacetyl, the odour of which resembles butter. 

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