Imidazoles may be manufactured by reacting a glyoxal, ammonia, an aldehyde, and optionally a primary amine, in the presence of a Bronsted acid whose pKa is approximately equal to the pKa of the ammonium cation of the primary amine, or if the primary amine is not present, to the pKa of the ammonium (NH4 ) cation. The reaction may be used to make in relatively high yields a wide variety of imidazoles using relatively inexpensive starting materials. The imidazoles are useful as chemical intermediates. Formula (V) and formula (IX).