The amidine compounds of the invention have the general formula: ##STR1## where R.sub.2 is lower alkyl,R is phenyl substituted with halo and nitro, andR.sub.3 is selected from phenyl and phenyl substituted with one or more of halo, nitro and alkoxy, and combinations thereof which may be utilized advantageously as intermediates in the manufacture of particularly useful, high quality pyrazolone color formers which have proven especially difficult to make in high yields by other methods or techniques known in the art.