“…1, 2 The main path ways of their transformations include dissociation into the starting compounds, vicarious or oxidative aromatiza tion, 1-3 and non oxidative transformations into other cy clic systems, as recently shown for a number of 2,3 di cyanopyrazines (Scheme 1). [4][5][6][7][8] The goal of the present work was to further study the properties of O and C adducts 2. We found that reflux of σ H adducts 3a,b and 4 (compounds 3a,b were prepared from 5 (het)aryl 2,3 dicyano 1 ethylpyrazinium salts 1 and the acetylacetonate anion; compound 4 is the adduct of salt 1 and water) in o xylene for 2 h gives tetraaza phenanthrenes 5a,b (Scheme 2, Table 1).…”