Benzamide synthesis by direct electrophilic aromatic substitution with cyanoguanidine

Cyanoguanidine is an inexpensive commodity chemical and it is found to be a useful reagent for the direct Friedel–Crafts carboxamidation of arenes. The reaction works best in an excess of Brønsted superacid, an observation suggesting the involvement of a superelectrophilic intermediate. Theoretical calculations indicate that the most stable diprotonated species involves protonation at the guanidine and cyano nitrogen atoms.