Unambiguously confirmed structure of 2-phenacylidene-1,2-dihydro-4H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-3-one and 3-phenacylidene-3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-2-one

To determine the structures of two isomeric products, 2-phenacylidene-1,2-dihydro-4H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-3-one (2) and 3-phenacylidene-3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-2-one (3) obtained by condensation of 2,3-diaminopyridine (1) with ethyl benzoylpyruvate [1-3], these compounds were hydrolyzed to give 2-methyl-4H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-3-one (4) and 3-methyl-1H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-2-one (5), respectively [4,5]. Both hydrolysates 4 and 5 were hydrogenated to afford 2-methyl-1,2-dihydro-4H-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazin-3-one (6) and 3-methyl-3,4-dihydro-1H-pyridol[2,3-b]pyrazin-2-one (7). The latter compound was identical with an unequivocally synthesized compound providing proof for the structures of all these compounds.