Hydrocarbon substituted pyrazines are prepared by the reaction of an ammonium compound having NH.sub.4 or NH.sub.2 groups with an acetylene compound having an oxygen atom linked to the acetylenic unit, the reaction being conducted in an acid medium, preferably containing formic acid or a formate.
Alkyl pyrazine compounds are prepared by heating and refluxing an aqueous mixture of an ammonium-containing compound and at least one acyloin compound. Reaction product may be isolated from the reacted mixture by adjusting the pH of the reacted mixture, separating solid material from the pH-adjusted reacted mixture, adding water to the separated solid material to form a solution, allowing product to crystallyze from the solution and then collecting the crystalline product. Alternatively, the reactants may be heated, refluxed and sublimed to collect the pyrazine reaction product on a cooled sublimation collection surface.
