GENERAL STEPS: 7-Benzyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroimidazo[1,5-a]pyrazine (4.89 g, 22.9 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous ethanol (200 mL) and 10% palladium carbon catalyst (4.88 g) was added. The reaction mixture was placed under 1 bar hydrogen atmosphere and the reaction was vigorously stirred at room temperature overnight. Upon completion of the reaction, the catalyst was removed by filtration through a diatomaceous earth pad and the filter cake was washed with ethanol. The filtrates were combined, concentrated under reduced pressure and subsequently co-evaporated with dichloromethane to completely remove the residual solvent to afford the target compound 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroimidazo[1,5-a]pyrazine as an off-white oil (2.52 g). The product was characterized by 1H NMR (CD3OD): δ 7.42 (s, 1H), 6.77 (s, 1H), 4.07 (s, 2H), 3.99 (t, J = 5.6 Hz, 2H), 3.22 (t, J = 5.6 Hz, 2H), 1.76 (br s, 1H). LC/MS analysis showed m/z 124 [M + H]+, which is consistent with target molecular weight.