Abstract An overview of the facile and high-yielding EDCI-mediated reaction of amines with N-Pmc-N′-alkyl thioureas to afford guanidines is presented, in which the general scope and limitations of the reaction are probed. It was found that the N-sulfonyl-N′-substituted thioureas cannot possess internal nucleophiles or disubstitution, and that the incoming amine must possess adequate nucleophilicity in order for the reaction to be viable. ...
