First Direct Reductive Amination of Mucochloric Acid: A Simple and Efficient Method for Preparing Highly Functionalized α,β-Unsaturated γ-Butyrolactams

[reaction: see text] The first direct reductive amination of mucochloric acid (1) has been accomplished. Reaction of 1 with various alkyl, aryl, and benzylamines, followed by reduction in the same pot, provides an efficient method of obtaining N-benzyl-3,4-dichloro-1,5-dihydro-pyrrol-2-one and N-aryl (or alkyl)-3,4-dichloro-1,5-dihydro-pyrrol-2-ones.