Abstract: 2-R-5-(Py-Y)-1H-benzimidazole or pharmaceutically-acceptable acid-addition salt thereof, useful as a cardiotonic, is prepared by reacting 4-(Py-Y)-1,2-benzenediamine with a tri-(lower-alkyl)ortho-(lower-alkanoate) of the formula R--C(OR.sub.1).sub.3, where R is hydrogen or lower-alkyl, Y is a direct linkage or lower-alkylene having one or two carbon atoms, and Py is 4- or 3-pyridinyl or 4- or 3-pyridinyl having one or two lower-alkyl substituents, or with dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal or dimethylacetamide dimethyl acetal to produce said 2-R-5-(Py-Y)-1H-benzimidazole where R is methyl or ethyl respectively. The same compound where R is lower-alkyl is prepared in two steps by first reacting 4-(Py-Y)-1,2-benzenediamine with an alkanoylating agent providing alkanoyl of the formula ##STR1## to produce N.sub.2 --[R'--C(.dbd.O)]-4-(Py-Y)-1,2-benzenediamine and heating the latter compound to produce said 2-R'-5-(Py-Y)-1H-benzimidazole, where R' is lower-alkyl.