Abstract: Acetamide reacts with 1,2-diaminoethane to yield diacyl ethylenediamine, and the consecutive reaction with magnesium and m(or p)-nitrophenylsulfonyl chloride and methyl iodide gives 1,2-dimethyl-3-m (or p)-nitrophenylsulfonyl imidazolinium salts that serve as the models of N⁵,N¹⁰- C⁺R-tetrahydrofolate(THF) coenzymes(2a, 2b). The latter salts with monofunctional nitrogen nucleophiles(p-methyl aniline, p-methoxy aniline and so on) and carbon nucleophiles(malononitrile) give the intermediate of ethylidyne transfer reaction. Bifunctional nucleophiles (1,2-diaminobenzene, 2-aminophenol) react with 2a and 2b to yield ethylidyne transfer products.

Key words: Tetrahydrofolate, Coenzyme models, One carbon unit, Imidazolinium salt