The previously unknown addition products of P nucleophiles to 5 aryl and 5 hetaryl 2,3 dicyano 1 ethylpyrazinium salts and to 5 aryl and 5 hetaryl 1 methylquinoxalinium salts were synthesized. The three dimensional structures of the P σ H adducts of the 1,4 diazine series were established by X ray diffraction.Key words: 5 aryl and 5 hetaryl 2,3 dicyano 1 ethylpyrazinium salts, 3 aryl and 3 hetaryl 1 methylquinoxalinium salts, diethyl phosphonate, diphenyl phosphonate, σ H adducts with P nucleophiles.Pyrazines 1-4 and quinoxalines 5-8 are of interest for medical chemistry, form a skeleton of numerous natural compounds and antibiotics, and exhibit antitumor, anti tuberculosis, and other activities. 9-11 In recent years, the development of new methods for the synthesis and modi fications of diazines, including methods based on the direct nucleophilic attack on the unsubstituted carbon atom of the azine ring, has attracted great attention. 12- 19 It is known that N alkylpyrazinium and quinoxalinium salts are prone to the mono and diaddition of O , C , N , and S nucleophiles, as well as to annulation of five or six membered heterocycles in reactions with a wide range of dinucleophiles. 12-14 Primary σ H adducts, which are generated via the nucleophilic attack on the α position with respect to the cationic center, were comprehensively characterized by 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy. 20 The synthesis of 1,2 dihydro and 1,4 tetrahydropyrazines by the addition of O and C nucleophiles to 1 alkyl 2,3 dicyanopyrazinium salts was also documented. 21,22 Data on the involvement of P nucleophiles in the reac tions with 1,4 diazines are lacking, although examples of the addition of P nucleophiles to π deficient nitroarenes 12 and azines 23-26 were reported. The structures of the P adducts of isoquinoline, 23 phthalazine, 24 and 4,7 phe nanthroline 25,26 were established by X ray diffraction.The aim of the present study was to synthesize rela tively stable addition products of diethyl and diphenyl phosphonates to 1,4 diazinium salts, such as 5 aryl sub stituted 2,3 dicyano 1 ethylpyrazinium tetrafluoroborates 1a,b and 3 aryl 1 methylquinoxalinium iodides 2a,b (Scheme 1). It was expected that the presence of an aryl * Dedicated to Academician A. I. Konovalov on his 75th birthday. substituent in the β position with respect to the quater nary cationic group would block the secondary addition with the result that the β attack will be the only reaction pathway.Actually, the reactions of salts 1a,b and 2a,b with phosphonates 3a,b proceed under mild conditions (20 °C, CH 3 CN). It should be noted that bases are not required for the initiation of the reactions of the pyrazinium salts.The structures of P adducts 4a,b, 5a,b, and 6a,b were confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. The structures of products 4a,b (Figs 1 and 2, respectively) were established also by X ray diffraction.Product 4a crystallizes in the space group P2