4-Arylaminoquinazoline-2-carbonitriles 5a - i were obtained by a one-step synthesis in moderate to good yield by reacting 2-aminoarylbenzimidamides 3a - i with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE, 4) in ethyl acetate at r. t. for 4 - 6 h. The structure of the selected benzimidamide 3c was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.