Abstract The 4-aryl-1, 4-dihydropyrazines were prepared via the cyclization of N, N- bisalkylated anilines with ammonium acetate. These reactions were aided by improvements in the synthesis of N, N-bisalkylated anilines which were alkylated with anilines using ethyl 2- diazo acetoacetate in a reaction catalyzed by rhodium acetate in the absence of oxygen. A possible mechanistic route is postulated on the basis of the isolation of the N-alkylation ...