The first step of this synthesis route to an N-arylformamidine as amitraz is the reaction of a substituted formamide, usually a dialkylformamide, with an aniline.[1] To gain amitraz N-methyl formamide and 2,4 dimethyl aniline hydrochloride can be used (figure 2). This reaction is catalyzed by the presence of acid halides, such as POCl3, SOCl2, COCl2, or an arylsulfonylhalide, as p-toluene sulfonyl chloride (figure 2).[2][18] This yields an intermediate, which reacts further as its catalyzed by p-toluene acid to N, N'-[(methylimino) dimethylidyne] di-2,4-xylidine (amitraz).[18] Alternatively, the aniline in the first step can be replaced by an arylformamide. In addition the replacement of the dialkylformamide with an N-alkylpyrrolidone can be used to obtain products of the clenpyrin group from this reaction.[7]