1-alkyl aryl-5-amino-4-(cyanoformimidoyl)imidazoles 4 were reacted with malononitrile and 2-amino-1,1,3-propenetricarbonitrile under mild experimental conditions, which led to 5-amino-3-(substituted benzyl)-6,7-dicyano-3H-imidazo [4,5-b] . Both reactions evolved from an adduct formed by nucleophilic attack of the malononitrile anion or 2-amino-1,1,3-propenetricarbonitrile anion to the carbon of the cyanoformimidoyl substituent. In the case of the malononitrile anion, a 5-amino-1-alkyl aryl-4-(1-amino-2,2-dicyanovinyl)imidazole 7 was isolated when this reaction was carried out in the presence of DBU. The structure of compound 7 was confirmed by spectroscopic methods, and cyclized intramolecularly to 8 by heating in ethanol/triethyl amine.