Synthesis by a novel cyclization reaction of and crystal and molecular structure of 4-ethyl-1-isopropyl 3(phenylcarbamoyl) methyl-3-pyrrolin-2-one

The title compound (I) was synthesized by reaction of N-butylidenepropylamine and N-phenylmaleimide at room temperature and without added catalysts: a reaction mechanism is suggested. The structure of (I) was unambiguously determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.