An Efficient Preparation of 2-Imidazolines and Imidazoles from Aldehydes with Molecular Iodine and (Diacetoxyiodo)benzene

2-Imidazolines were easily prepared in quite good yields from the reaction of aldehydes and ethylenediamine with molecular iodine in the presence of potassium carbonate. Moreover, 2-imid­azolines obtained were smoothly oxidized to the corresponding imidazoles in good yields using (diacetoxyiodo)benzene at room temperature.