5- Hydroxy-2,3-dihydropyrazines

It was suggested that a-amino carbonyls such as 3-amino-butane-2-one formed a dihydropyrazine which was subsequently oxidized to a pyrazine (30, 311. The conversion of dihydropyrazine to pyrazine occurs with or without oxygen. There are two possible ways to convert dihydropyrazine into pyrazine without oxygen. One is the disproportionation of dihydropyrazine to give pyrazine and tetrahydropyrazine or piperazine. The other is the dehydration of hydroxy dihydropyrazine (32). Recently, a dialkylpyrazine radical was reported as an intermediate of pyrazine formation (33). However, this simple step from dihydropyrazine to pyrazine is not yet thoroughly understood. 

Treatment of a-hydroxy-ketones or -aldehydes with ammonium acetate (65BSF3476, 68BSF4970) results in the formation of dihydropyrazines, presumably by direct amination of the hydroxyketone followed by self-condensation (79AJC1281). Low yields of pyrazines have been noted in the electrolysis of ketones in admixture with KI and ammonia, and again it appears probable that the a-aminoketone derived by way of the a-iodoketone is the intermediate (69CI(L)237>. 

There are very few reactions of real synthetic significance which proceed via condensation of two 1,3-electrophile-nucleophile species. Probably the most important of this latter type of reaction is the synthesis of pyrazines by self-condensation of an a-acylamino compound to the dihydropyrazine followed by aromatization (equation 132). The a-acylamino compounds, which dimerize spontaneously, are normally generated in situ, for example by treatment of a- hydroxy carbonyl compounds with ammonium acetate or by reduction of a-azido, -nitro or -oximino carbonyl compounds. Cyclodimerization of a-amino acids gives 2,5-dioxopiperazines (equation 133), many derivatives of which occur as natural products. Two further reactions which illustrate the 1,3-electrophile-nucleophile approach are outlined in equations (134) and (135), but su i processes are of little general utility. 

The alkylation of metalated imines, hydrazones, 4,5-dihydrooxazoles, 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles, 5,6-dihydro-4/7-1,2-oxazines and 2,5-dialkoxy-3,6-dihydropyrazines (i.e., azaenolates) is a commonly used method in asymmetric synthesis of enantiomerically enriched aldehydes, ketones, spiroacetals, amines, /J-oxo esters, carboxylic acids, lactones, 1,3-amino alcohols, /(-hydroxy ketones and amino acids. 

Kappe et al.3S1 have prepared 3,6-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2,5-dihydropyrazine (181) by alkaline treatment of 3-amino-4-hydroxy-coumarin (180). Compound 181 is conveniently dehydrogenated over... 

For aromatic aldehydes or ketones, the (3R)-configuration can be derived from the1 H-nmr-spectrum. Like the benzyl-substituted dihydropyrazines 8a-e the hydroxy-benzyl-substituted compounds 13 c-f adopt the folded conformation. Hence, in the minor isomer with (3S)-configuration and conformation 14 the C-6-methyl signal suffers an upfield shift. 

The same substrate (71) gave 2-(l-hydroxy-l-methylethyl)-5-isopropyl-3, 6-dimethoxy-2,5-dihydropyrazine (74) (BuLi, THF—C6H14, — 70°C, 10 min the AcMe, -70°C, 1 h 98%) 196 2-(l-hydroxy-l-methylethyl)-5-isopropyl-3,6-dimethoxy-2- methyl-2,5-dihydropyrazine194 and other homologues517,905, 911 were made similarly. 

Aspergillic acid (H 65, 195), 6-,vet-butyl-l-hydroxy-3-isobutyl-2( l//)-pyrazi-none, a mycotoxic Aspergillus sp metabolite [490-02-8],1024 Astechrome, 3-(l-hydroxy-3-methoxy-5-methyl-6-oxo-l,6-dihydropyrazin-2-yl-methyl)-7-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)indole Fe complex, an Aspergillus sp metabolite [75310-10-0]90... 

The use of a, -diaminopropionic acid with a,0-dicarbonyl compoimds leads to pyrazinecarboxylic acids (351, 352), and diaminomaleonitrile (S3) gives 2,3-dicyanopyrazines (52, R = R = CN) (353, 355, 357). The condensation of a,/3-diamino compounds with a-keto esters has been shown to give 5-hydroxy-23-dihydropyrazines (51, R = OH) (340). 

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-... 

In 23-dihydroxypyrazine and derivatives Honzl (853), from measurements of infrared spectra in chloroform and ultraviolet spectra in aqueous alcohol, has proposed that 5,6-dichloro-l-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxy-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine (pA in water 4.66, 5.66) exists in the form (48). The p.m.r. spectra of some 5- and 6-methyl- and 5- and 6-phenyl-2,3-dihydroxypyrazines have been reported (483). In the 2,5-dihydroxypyrazine series, the infrared spectrum (Nujol) of 2-benzyl-3,6-dihydroxy-5-methylpyrazine has been interpreted as indicating that the major tautomeric form present in the solid state was the dihydroxy form (49), but the ultraviolet spectrum in ethanol was considered consistent with the coexistence of the dihydroxy (49) and oxo-hydroxy form, for example, (50), Although the structure (51) has been proposed for 3-butyl-2,5-dihydroxypyrazine (1092), the evidence in favor of this structure is inconclusive. 

Pyrolyses and thermal stabilities of 2-hydroxy-, 2-ethoxy-, and 2-isopropoxy-pyrazines have been studied. 2-Hydroxypyrazine was very stable, but the alkoxy-pyrazines underwent thermal elimination of olefin to yield 2-hydroxypyrazine (668a). Electrochemical reductions of l-methyl-2-oxo-5,6-diphenyl-l,2-dihydro-pyrazine and 54iydroxy(and 5-methoxy)-2,3-diphenylpyrazine are reported to involve the intermediate enamine, for example, 6-hydroxy-1-methyl-2,3-diphenyl-1,4-dihydropyrazine (54) (1096, cf. 1097). When tested on mice 2-carbamoyl-5-methoxypyrazine had less anti tubercular activity than did pyrazinamide (1098). 

A large number of 2-alkyl-3-methoxypyrazines has been isolated from raw vegetables (59, 60, 64, 65, 69, 80, 1099), bell peppers (60,61) and gambanum oil (49). 2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine is already finding commercial use as a flavoring material (368) and 2-ethoxy-3-methylpyrazine may be used for pineapple flavor (981). The odor characteristics (367, 368, 976, 977) and structure (977) of some alkoxy alkylpyrazines have been examined. 3-Guanidino-6-hydroxymethyl-l-methyl-2-oxo-l,2-dihydropyrazine has been isolated from seeds of Stizolobium hassjoo and on mild alkaline hydrolysis gave 3-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-l -methyl-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine (1060). 

Methylation of 2-amino-3-hydroxypyrazine (62) with methyl iodide and sodium methoxide afforded 3-amino-l-methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyrazine (63), and when an excess of methyl iodide was used, a mixture of compound (63) and its methio-dide (64) was isolated. Reaction with dimethyl sulfate and alkaU gave compound (63) and l,4-dimethyl-2,3-dioxo-l,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrazine (66) the latter was presumed to be formed by hydrolysis of an intermediate quaternary salt since it was also obtained by treatment of the methiodide (64) with aqueous sodium hydroxide. Reaction of 2-amino-3-hydroxypyrazine with ethereal diazomethane produced a mixture of N- and 0-methyl derivatives, (63) and 2-amino-3-methoxy-pyrazine (65). With methyl toluene-p-sulfonate the quaternary salt 2-amino-3-hydroxy-1-methylpyrazinium toluenesulfonate (67) was obtained on alkaline hydrolysis it gave 3-hydroxy-l-methyl-2-oxo-l,2-dihydropyrazine (68) (832). Pulcherriminic acid with diazomethane gave a dimethyl derivative (99). 

Hydroxy-2,5-diphenylpyrazine, methyl iodide, and methanol and some potassium hydroxide heated in a sealed tube at 100° for 10 hours formed the methiodide of 1 -methyl-3,6-diphenyl-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine (1104) [3-hydroxy-... 

Methylation of 2-hydroxy-3-7V-phenylcarbamoylpyrazine with dimethyl sulfate and potassium carbonate in boiling acetone gave l-methyl-2-oxo-3-A -phenylcarbamoyl-1,2-dihydropyrazine and the 3-(A -methyl-Af-phenylcarbamoyl) analogue was prepared likewise (1055). Similar methylation of 2-hydroxy-3-(o-methylaminophenyl)pyrazine produced 1 -methyl-3-(o-methylaminophenyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyrazine (1055). A series of 24iydroxy-3-(a-hydroxybenzyl)pyrazines has been methylated with dimethyl sulfate in aqueous sodium hydroxide to the 2-methoxy analogues (1045) and 2-benzyl-3,6-dihydroxy-5-methylpyrazine with diethyl sulfate and sodium ethoxide formed 2-benzyl-3,6-diethoxy-6-methylpyrazine (1066). 

Hydroxy-5-methyl-3 ropylpyrazine with cyanogen halides in aqueous dimethylformamide with sodium hydroxide gave 1 -cyano-5-methyl-2-oxo-3-propyl-1,2-dihydropyrazine (70) (1123). 

Dihydroxy-5,6-diphenylpyrazine refluxed with aqueous hydrazine hydrate gave 2-hydrazino-3-hydroxy-5,6-diphenylpyrazine, which was also obtained by heating 2-hydroxy-3-nitro-5,6-diphenylpyrazine with aqueous hydrazine (1124). Distillation of the compound claimed by Japp and Knox (317) to be 3-hydroxy-2,5-diphenylpyrazine (317, cf. 282) with zinc dust produced 2,5-diphenylpyrazine (317) reduction of the former with hydriodic acid and red phosphorus at 200 for 6 hours gave what was regarded as 2,5-diphenyl-3,4-dihydropyrazine (317). 

Preparations of some A-substituted 2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazines have been discussed in Section 11.2 from the reactions of di-, tri-, and tetrapeptides with glyoxal (380-382) and Cheeseman and co-workers (1111) have described the preparation of 1-benzyl-3-hydroxy-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine (83) (and similarly its 1-methyl analogue) from ethyl A-(2, 2 -dimethoxyethyl)oxamate and benzyl-amine through A-benzyl-A -(2, 2-dimethoxyethyl)oxamide (84) by the application of a standard procedure (482). 

Hydrolysis of 2-amino-3-hydroxy-l-methylpyrazinium toluenesulfonate (87) with aqueous sodium hydroxide at 95° afforded 3-hydroxy-l-methyl-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine which was also prepared in poor yield from the action of nitrous acid on 3-amino-l-methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyrazine (832) and hydrolysis of 6-chloro-l-methyl-2-oxo-3,5-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropyrazine with boiling methanolic sodium methoxide (followed by acidification) gave 6-hydroxy-l-methyl-2-oxo-3,5-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropyrazine (873). 1,3,6-Trimethyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyrazine methiodide has been converted through l,4,6-trimethyl-3-methylene-2-oxo-l,2,3,4-tetrahy dropy razine and 3-benzoylmethylene-1,4,6-trimethyl-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetra-hydropyrazine (in water) to 1,4,6-trimethyl-2,3-dioxo-l, 2,3,4-tetrahydropyrazine (1129). 

Methyl-2-0X0-1,2-dihydropyrazine is lower melting and has a higher solubility than 2-hydroxypyrazine. Its pA value (—0.04) approximates that of 2-hydroxy-... 

Cleavage of the Me-0 bond in 3,6-diisobutyl-l-methoxy-2-oxo-l,2-dihydro-pyrazine (93) with methylmagnesium iodide at 150° gave 2-hydroxy-3,6-diisobutyl-pyrazine 1-oxide (94) and the 1,4-dioxide was prepared similarly from 2,5-diisobutyl4-methoxy-3-oxo-3,4-dihydropyrazine 1-oxide and also from 2,5-diisobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine 1,4-dioxide (980). 

Boron tribromide in dry chloroform was used to convert 3-isobutyl-6-isopropyl-1-methoxy-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine to 2-hydroxy-3-isobutyl-6-isopropylpyrazine 1-oxide, and 6-isobutyl-3-isopropyl-l-methoxy-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine behaved similarly (740a). Ohta (843) reports the preparation of 2-hydroxy-3,6-diisobutyl-pyrazine 1-oxide from 3,6-diisobutyl-l-methoxy-2-oxo-l, 2-dihydropyrazine (as intermediate) and hydrogen iodide. 

Diazomethane methylation of 3-hydroxy-2,5-diisobutylpyrazine 1,4-dioxide has been shown to give the 4-methoxypyrazine 1-oxide, 2,5-diisobutyl4-methoxy-3-0X0-3,4-dihydropyrazine 1-oxide (96) (843, 980) [and some 3-methoxy-2,5-diisobutylpyrazine 1,4-dioxide (4 l)(980)] 5-s-butyl-3-hydroxy-2-isobutylpyrazine... 

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