Catalytic hydrogenolysis, effective for the synthesis of 2-aminoimidazoles from 2-(arylazo) imidazoles, cannot be used to prepare 2-amino-4fluoroimidazolee because the fluorine atom is lost simultaneously; formamidinesulfinic acid, however, achieves the required conversion in good yield. Ethyl 2, 4d~ uoroimidazole-5-carboxylate is obtained by photolysis of ethyl 2-diazonio-4-fluoroimidazole-5-carboxylate in fluoroboric acid. The ester is ...