The cofactor forms of riboflavin (FMN and FAD) play a crucial role in the mediation of both enzymatic processes and light perception by photo-sensitive proteins, and thus structural analogues of this chromophore are highly useful tools to assist in the elucidation of enzymatic mechanisms. 1-Deazariboflavin has been rarely utilised for this purpose, due in part to its previously difficult and inefficient synthesis. Recent examination has enabled a remarkable improvement in the overall synthetic yield from 11.0 to 61.3%, allowing reliable production of 1-deazariboflavin for use as a tool in enzymatic mechanistic determination.