Pyrrolidine-2,3-dione, 1-allylpyrrolidine-2,3-dione and 1-ethoxypyrrolidine-2,3-dione

Authentic pyrrolidine-2,3-dione has been prepared by two different routes. It is shown that the material previously reported is actually a hydrolysis product, 4-amino-2-oxobutyric acid. 1-Allyl- and 1-ethoxypyrroli-dine-2,3-dione have been prepared as N-protected pyrrolidine-2,3-diones potentially useful in synthesis.