Abstract2‐Alkylamino‐ or arylaminopyridines react directly with α‐bromoketones to afford 1‐alkyl‐ or 1‐arylimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridinium salts with substituents at position 2. Use of chloroacetaldoxime as the quaternizing agent yields (after hydrolysis) the imidazo‐[1,2‐a]pyridinium ion with no substituent at position 2. The earlier supposition that alkylation of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines occurs in position 1 has been shown to be correct.It has been pointed out that the 1‐substituted imidazo[1, 2‐a]pyridinium system is but one of a group of aromatic heterocyclic systems isoelectronic with the quinolizinium system.