Starting from readily available ethyl(Z)-N-(2-amino-1,2-dicyanovinyl)formim
idate (1), the N-aryl (or benzyl)-N'-(2-amino-1,2-dicyanovinyl)formamidines
(2) can be prepared in good yields by reaction with aromatic amines at roo
m temperature in the presence of a catalytic amount of anilinium hydrochlor
ide.