A microwave-assisted, one-pot, two-step protocol was developed for the construction of polysubstituted 2-aminoimidazoles. This process involves the sequential formation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts from readily available 2-aminopyrimidines and alpha-bromocarbonyl compounds, followed by opening of the pyrimidine ring with hydrazine. [reaction: see text]