Sixty-two grams (61 ml., 0.67 mole) of aniline (Note 1) is mixed with 68.5 g. (0.66 mole) of benzonitrile in a 250-ml., wide-mouthed flask, and, during about 20 minutes, 89 g. (0.67 mole, calculated as AlCl₃) of a freshly opened sample of powdered, anhydrous aluminum chloride is added in portions with thorough stirring (Note 2). The mixture is then heated at 200° for 30 minutes (Note 3), and, while still molten, is poured slowly into a thoroughly stirred mixture of 20 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 1.6 l. of water. After the addition of 20 g. of activated carbon, the suspension is stirred while being externally cooled in running water and is then filtered through a kieselguhr filter (Note 4). The filtrate is poured in a steady stream into a stirred solution of 220 g. of sodium hydroxide in 1.2 l. of water. The flocculent precipitate is collected on alkali-resistant paper in a 12-cm. Büchner funnel with the aid of suction, washed with water (Note 5), broken up thoroughly, and air-dried at room temperature to constant weight. The yield of white product, m.p. 111–115°, is 90–96 g. (69–74%). This material is sufficiently pure for most purposes. Recrystallization from benzene (60 ml. per 10 g. of amidine) yields 56–74 g. of white powder; concentration of the mother liquors raises the total yield of N-phenylbenzamidine to 69–86 g. (53–66%), melting at 114–115.5°.