1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-2,4,5-triniethylpyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidine and its 7-formyl derivative when treated with nitric acid are converted to substituted tetrahydropyrrolo-[1,2-c]pyrimidine-7-carboxylic acid. Conversion occurs through opening of the aminal moiety and formylation of the second molecule of tetrahydropyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidine by formaldehyde formed to the 7-formyl-substituted derivative. ©1999 KluwerAcademic/Plenum.