Pyrazine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Chembox

Pyrazine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula C4H4N2. It is a symmetrical molecule with point group D2h. Pyrazine is less basic than pyridine, pyridazine and pyrimidine. It is a "deliquescent crystal or wax-like solid with a pungent, sweet, corn-like, nutty odour".[1]

Pyrazine and a variety of alkylpyrazines are flavor and aroma compounds found in baked and roasted goods. Tetramethylpyrazine (also known as ligustrazine) is reported to scavenge superoxide anions and decrease nitric oxide production in human granulocytes.[2]

Synthesis

Many methods exist for the organic synthesis of pyrazine and its derivatives. Some of these are among the oldest synthesis reactions still in use.

In the Staedel–Rugheimer pyrazine synthesis (1876), 2-chloroacetophenone is reacted with ammonia to the amino ketone, then condensed and then oxidized to a pyrazine.[3] A variation is the Gutknecht pyrazine synthesis (1879) also based on this selfcondensation, but differing in the way the alpha-ketoamine is synthesised.[4][5]

Gutknecht pyrazine synthesis

The Gastaldi synthesis (1921) is another variation:[6][7]

Gastaldi synthesis

See also

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Simple aromatic rings

Template:Authority control

  1. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  3. Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  4. Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  5. Heterocyclic chemistry T.L. Gilchrist Template:ISBN
  6. G. Gastaldi, Gazz. Chim. Ital. 51, (1921) 233
  7. Amines: Synthesis, Properties and Applications Stephen A. Lawrence 2004 Cambridge University Press Template:ISBN