SYNTHESIS OF 5S-(1-OXOALKYL AND ARYL)-2-PYRROLIDINONE DERIVATIVES

N-Benzyl pyroglutamate esters react with aryllithium reagents and meth yllithium to give moderate to good yields of 5-(1-oxoaryl) or 5-(1-oxo alkyl)-2-pyrrolidinone derivatives. The reaction proceeds without race mization, but is accompanied by formation of 5-(1-hydroxy-1-alkyl)-2-p yrrolidinone derivatives. This reaction gives very poor yields of keto ne products with most other alkyl organolithium reagents such as n-but yllithium. Grignard reagents react to give primarily the alcohol.