Aminomalonamidamidine dihydrochloride (I) was condensed with several a, P-dicarbonyl compounds in aqueous ammonium hydroxide to give 2-aminopyrazine-3-carboxamides (11) directly and usually in satisfactory yield. Methylglyoxal and phenylglyoxal led exclusively to the corresponding 5-substituted 2-aminopyrazine-3-carboxamides (11, R'=-H). This orientation is of considerable interest, since subsequent cyclization of these intermediates ...
