In the solid state, 4-methoxy-N'-(2,2,2-trichloroethanimidoyl)benzene-1-carboximidamide, C(10)H(10)Cl(3)N(3)O, (I), N'-(2,2,2-trichloroethanimidoyl)benzene-1-carboximidamide, C(9)H(8)Cl(3)N(3), (II), 4-chloro-N'-(2,2,2-trichloroethanimidoyl)benzene-1-carboximidamide, C(9)H(7)Cl(4)N(3), (III), 4-bromo-N'-(2,2,2-trichloroethanimidoyl)benzene-1-carboximidamide, C(9)H(7)BrCl(3)N(3), (IV), and 4-trifluoromethyl-N'-(2,2,2-trichloroethanimidoyl)benzene-1-carboximidamide, C(10)H(7)Cl(3)F(3)N(3), (V), display strong intramolecular N-H...N hydrogen bonding across the chelate ring and also intramolecular N-H...Cl contacts. Additional intermolecular hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains, double chains or sheets in all cases except for compound (V). For compound (II), there are three independent molecules per asymmetric unit.