An Efficient Synthesis of (E)-(2-Arylpyrazino[1,2-a]pyrimidine-4-ylidene)acetonitriles and Cyanomethyl-Appended Pyrimidines

A series of ( E )-(2-arylpyrazino[1,2- a ]pyrimidine-4-ylidene)acetonitriles 5a – j and aryl/heteroaryl tethered pyrimidin-4-yl acetonitriles 6a – e has been synthesized in excellent yields through base catalyzed ring transformation of suitably functionalized 2 H -pyran-2-ones 3 using 2-aminopyrazine 4a and arylamidinium salts 4b , separately.