An efficient and mild synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine derivatives has been developed from readily available pyrimidyl arylamines or enamines through a hypervalent iodine-promoted intramolecular C–H bond cycloamination reaction. This protocol allows for the facile construction of biologically active bicyclic imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine skeletons as well as other imidazo[1,2-a]-type fused heterocycles