The parent imidazolidine is lightly studied, but related compounds substituted on one or both nitrogen centers are more common.

Most commonly, one or both nitrogen center is substituted with an alkyl or benzyl (Bn) group:[2] The first unsubstituted imidazolidine synthesis was reported in 1952.

[2] Formally, removal of the two hydrogens at carbon 2 (between the two nitrogens) would yield the carbene dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene.

[5] Classified as a diamine, it is formally derived by the addition of four hydrogen atoms to imidazole.

The intermediate, resulting from the addition of only two hydrogen atoms is called imidazoline (dihydroimidazole).