Abstract A method is described for the preparation of 2-substituted furo [2, 3-b] pyrazines (1) and thieno [2, 3-b] pyrazines (2) by ring closure of the 1, 4-diketones 7 (X= Y= O) and 1, 4- oxothiones 7 (X, Y= O, S). The requisite (thio) carbonyl compounds were obtained by reaction of esters and thiono esters with lithium salts of dianions, prepared from 3-methyl-2- pyrazone (3, X= O) and 3-methyl-2-pyrazinethione (3, X= S), respectively. The scope of ...