The rhodium-catalysed synthesis of pyrrolidinone-substituted (trialkylsilyloxy)acrylic esters

A method for the preparation of novel pyrrolidine substituted (trialkylsilyloxy)acrylic esters has been developed. The protocol involves a rhodium-catalysed O-insertion/rearrangement reaction between N-functionalised 2-pyrrolidinones and alpha-silyl alpha-diazoacetates to form the corresponding acrylic esters in moderate to high yields.