General procedure for the synthesis of 2-phenylpyrimidin-4-amine from 3-ethoxyacrylonitrile and benzamidine: benzamidine (0.655 mL, 5.15 mmol) was mixed with 3-ethoxyacrylonitrile (0.500 g, 5.15 mmol) and the reaction was stirred for 3 hours at 135 °C. Upon completion of the reaction, the mixture was cooled to room temperature and stirring was continued for 16 hours. Subsequently, the solvent was removed by concentration under reduced pressure and the crude product obtained was purified by column chromatography to give 2-phenylpyrimidin-4-amine (0.545 g, 61.8% yield) as a solid. The product was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS, FA mode) and showed m/z 172.4 ([M + H]+).
