N-H insertion reactions of boc-amino acid amides: Solution- and solid-phase synthesis of pyrazinones and pyrazines

[GRPAHICS] A series of alpha-diazo-beta-ketoesters were reacted with Boc amino acid amides in the presence of rhodium octanoate catalyst. The resulting N-H insertion products were treated with acid, providing the 1,4-azine intermediates, which were oxidized by air to form the corresponding pyrazine-6-one products. The pyrazine-6-ones were further derivatized by N-alkylation or by conversion to the arylpyrazines using sequential bromination and Suzuki coupling reactions.