Pyrazines radical acylation

Acyl radicals. Acyl radicals obtained by the oxidation of aldehydes or the oxidative decarboxylation of -keto acids react selectively at the - or -position to the nitrogen of protonated pyridines, quinolines, pyrazines, and quinoxalines, in yields typically in the range 4070% for example, 4-cyanopyridine gives 2-benzoyl-4-cyanopyridine in 96% yield <2003JHC325>. Similarly, pyridines can be carbamoylated in acid media at C(2)/C(4) (Scheme 53). 

Minisci-type substitution is one of the most useful reactions for the synthesis of alkyl- and acyl-substituted heteroaromatics. The acyl radicals are formed by the redox decomposition from aldehyde and /-butyl hydroperoxide or by silver-catalyzed decarboxylation of a a-keto acid with persulfate. Synthesis of acylpyrazines 70 as ant pheromones are achieved by this methodology using trialkyl-substituted pyrazines 69 with the acyl radicals generated from aldehydes or a-keto acids (Equation 10) <1996J(P1)2345>. The latter radicals are highly effective for the acylation. Homolytic alkylation of 6-chloro-2-cyanopyrazine 71 is performed by silver-catalyzed decarboxylation of alkanoic acids to provide 5-alkyl-substituted pyrazines 72 (Scheme 18) <1996CCC1109>. 

Alkyl radicals for such reactions are available from many sources such as acyl peroxides, alkyl hydroperoxides, particularly by the oxidative decarboxylation of carboxylic acids using peroxy-disulfate catalyzed by silver. Pyridine and various substituted pyridines have been alkylated in the 2-position in high yield by these methods. Quinoline similarly reacts in the 2-, isoquinoline in the 1-, and acridine in the 9-position. Pyrazine and quinoxaline also give high yields of 2-substituted alkyl derivatives <74AHC(16)123). 

Homolytic acylation of the pyrazine cation with aldehyde radicals have been reported (616). A mixture of pyrazine, acetaldehyde, aqueous acetic acid, sulfuric acid, r-butyl hydroperoxide, and ferrous sulfate gave 2,5-diacetylpyrazine, and similar reactions occurred with propionaldehyde and benzaldehyde (616). 

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