Abstract A series of 5-alkoxy-1-arylcarbonyl-2-pyrrolidinones (1–27) were prepared by condensation of arylcarbonyl chlorides with 5-alkoxy-2 pyrrolidinones in the presence of butyl lithium in tetrahydrofuran. Alkylation of these intermediates with substituted benzyl bromides or chlorides, under solid/liquid phase-transfer conditions (KOH/Bu 4 NBr) in tetrahydrofuran, yielded 5-alkoxy-1-arylmethyl-2-pyrrolidinones (28–48). In the first series, ...
