N-Pyridinium imidates as new sources of 2-aminoimidazole and imidazoline derivatives

New 2-aminoimidazole (2-AI) and imidazoline derivatives were obtained in three steps through the reduction of N-pyridinium imidates into 1,2-dihydropyridine imidates and oxidative addition of guanidine derivatives. Among the possible transformations, imidate substitution allows selectivity in the last deprotection step, leading to an original 2-aminoimidazolo-imidazoline skeleton.