Reaction of pyrazine-2,3-dicarbonitrile and 1,3-dimethyllumazine with alkyl radicals

Pyrazine-2,3-dicarbonitrile ( 1 ) reacts with alkyl radicals to give mono- 3 and di-alkylated pyrazine-2,3-dicarbonitriles 4 . Similarly 1,3-dimethyllumazine ( 2 ) reacts with alkyl radicals to give 7-alkyl-1,3-dimethyllumazines 8 as the major product. The reactivity of alkyl radicals decreases in the order tertiary, secondary, and primary, and 1 is more reactive than 2 in those radical substitution reactions.