A new and simple two-step procedure to synthesize 2-aminoimidazoles (2-AI'S) from readily available materials has been developed. The cyclization reaction of a-halo ketones and N- acetylguanidine in acetonitrile (MeCN) at reflux, or in dimethylformamide (DMF) at ambient temperature, gives 4 (5)-substituted and 4, 5-disubstituted N-(VI-imidazol-2-yl) acetamides, which are then hydrolyzed to their respective 2-AI'S. In general, the purified products were ...