[4 + 1] Cycloaddn. of alpha ,beta -unsatd. imidoyl cyanide (2-cyano-1-azadienes) with isocyanides in the presence of a catalytic amt. of AlCl3 afforded polysubstituted 2-amino-5-cyanopyrroles in good to excellent yields. In combination with the IBX/TBAB-mediated oxidative Strecker reaction, this important heterocycle is readily synthesized in two steps from simple starting materials. [on SciFinder (R)]