This work describes the first successful synthesis of five pyridinium
N-benzoylguanidines. These new pyridinium ylides were prepared in moderate to good yields through the
guanylation reaction of
N-iminopyridinium ylide with
N-benzoylthioureas, using both bismuth nitrate and mercury chloride as inorganic thiophiles. X-ray analysis of one pyridinium
N-benzoylguanidine was investigated and the
E configuration assigned. Intermolecular interactions of the type C–H
![cdots, three dots, centered](http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/22ef.gif)
O and C–H
![cdots, three dots, centered](http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/22ef.gif)
π were observed in the solid state. The results related in this study represent the first description of a ylide as the nucleophilic partner in the
guanylation reaction.