We report the one-pot synthesis of a phenanthroline-fused pyrazinacene derivative (6,13-dihydrodipyrido-[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]-5,6,7,8,11,12,13,14-octaazapentacene-9,10-dicarbonitrile) and its behaviour under alkylating conditions used to improve solubility. Tautomerization of the starting pyrazinacene due to the presence of a reduced pyrazine ring contained within an octaazatetracene chromophore led to mixtures of isomers, and factors affecting the relative yields of these isomers were considered. Isomer population can be described by a two- [a]