Reactions of the 1,2-diaryl 4,5-dihydroimidazolium, represented by 3-methyl
-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-phenyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolium iodide 1, with ethylened
iamine afforded a benzylidyne unit transferred product, 2-phenyl-2-imidazol
ine 2; a ring-opened adduct 4 was produced when excess ethylenediamine was
used. Reactions of 1 with hydroxylamine, malononitrile, and nitromethane an
ions produced ring-opened products, 5, 7, and 8 respectively.