With the enaminone reactivity explored, the synthetic competence of the amidine substrates is next evaluated (Table ). The synthetic protocol is apparently tolerant of the para substitution on the phenyl ring of 2a. An electron-donating methyl group (2b) permits the achievement of a 30% yield. A phenyl group (2c) slightly enhances the reactivity to a 34% yield. The electron-withdrawing fluorine group (2d) is synthetically more favored as a substituent, conferring a yield of 36%.