“…The feature of N-alkyl-1,2,4-triazinium salts is that electron-withdrawing groups W in the N-alkyl fragment are not necessary to generate ylides, as found by the dimerisation into 4a,4b,9,10tetrahydro-1,3,6,8,8a,10a-hexaazaphenanthrenes. 3,4 In continuation of our studies on the behaviour of 1-alkyl-1,2,4-triazinium salts, [5][6][7] we report that deprotonation of 1-ethyl-3-alkylthio-5aryl-l,2,4-triazinium salts 4a-c with triethylamine (TEA) results in azomethine ylides 5a-c (non-stabilised species), which react in situ with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) to form pyrrolo[2,1-f ][1,2,4]triazines 6a-c in good yields (Scheme 2). † Attempts to use other alkynes, such as phenylacetylene, di(4-nitrophenyl)acetylene and di(pyridin-2-yl)acetylene, as dipolarophiles in the reaction with 4c were unsuccessful.…”