A concise and efficient synthesis of a series of amino-substituted benzimidazole–pyrimidine hybrids has been developed, starting from the readily available N
4-(2-aminophenyl)-6-methoxy-5-nitrosopyrimidine-2,4-diamine. In each of N
5-benzyl-6-methoxy-4-(2-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)pyrimidine-2,5-diamine, C25H22N6O, (I), 6-methoxy-N
5-(4-methoxybenzyl)-4-[2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidine-2,5-diamine, C27H26N6O3, (III), 6-methoxy-N
5-(4-nitrobenzyl)-4-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidine-2,5-diamine, C25H20N8O5, (IV), the molecules are linked into three-dimensional framework structures, using different combinations of N—H...N, N—H...O, C—H...O, C—H...N and C—H...π hydrogen bonds in each case. Oxidative cleavage of 6-methoxy-N
5-(4-methylbenzyl)-4-[2-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidine-2,5-diamine, (II), with diiodine gave 6-methoxy-4-[2-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidine-2,5-diamine, which crystallized as a monohydrate, C19H18N6O·H2O, (V), and reaction of (V) with trifluoroacetic acid gave two isomeric products, namely N-{5-amino-6-methoxy-6-[2-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidin-2-yl}-2,2,2-trifluoroacetamide, which crystallized as an ethyl acetate monosolvate, C21H17F3N6O2·C4H8O2, (VI), and N-{2-amino-6-methoxy-4-[2-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidin-5-yl}-2,2,2-trifluoroacetamide, which crystallized as a methanol monosolvate, C21H17F3N6O2·CH4O, (VIIa). For each of (V), (VI) and (VIIa), the supramolecular assembly is two-dimensional, based on different combinations of O—H...N, N—H...O, N—H...N, C—H...O and C—H...π hydrogen bonds in each case. Comparisons are made with some related structures.