An efficient and straight forward synthesis of (5S)-1-benzyl-5-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2-pyrrolidinone (MM1): a novel antihypertensive agent

(5S)-1-benzyl-5-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2-pyrrolidinone and its closely related analog was synthesized from (S)-pyroglutaminol and imidazole or substituted imidazole using Mitsunobu reaction as the key step.