Substituted imidazolinium salt, 1, 2-dimethyl-3-(p-methoxybenzenesulfonyl)-imidazolinium iodide, as a tetrahydrofolate model in terms of the ability to transfer a substituted one-carbon unit (ethylidyne, nitromethylethylidene) at the level of formate or formaldehyde, has been synthesized by mimicking the structure and property of tetrahydrofolate coenzyme. The model compound can react with a variety of mono- and bifunctional nucleophiles and lead to some carboline alkaloids and other heterocyclic compounds.

Key words: IMIDAZOLE P, IODINE COMPOUNDS, ORGANIC SYNTHESIS, BIONICS, TETRAHYDRO-COMPOUNDS, C1 COMPOUNDS, FOLIC ACID, TRANSFER REACTIONS, COENZYME, NUCLEOPHILIC REAGENTS