Syntheses of 2,3-dicyano-5a,8a-dihydro-5a-hydroxycyclopentano[1 ',2 ': 4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazines and 2,3-dicyanocyclohexano[1 ',2 ': 4,5]pyrrolo-[2,3-b]pyrazines

Previously synthesized 2-(3'-chloro-5',6'-dicyanopyrazin-2'-yl)cyclopentan- 1-one 1, obtained from the reaction of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanopyrazine wit h 1-pyrrolidino-1-cyclopentene, was further reacted with primary alkylamine s to give mixtures of diastereomer of 5-alkyl-2,3-dicyano-5a,8a-dihydro-5a- hydroxycyclopentano[1',2':4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrazines in 3a-h in high yield . The reaction of 2-alkylamino-3-chloro-5,6-dicyanopyrazine with 1-pyrrolid ino-1-cyclohexene gave 5-alkyl-2,3-dicyanocyclopentano[1',2':4,5]pyrrolo[2, 3-b]pyrazines 5a-b together with 5-alkylamino-2,3-dicyano-6-pyrrolidinopyra zines 6a-b. The products prepared are all of interest as potential pesticid es and new fluorescent chromophores.