Catalytic multicomponent synthesis of highly substituted pyrroles utilizing a one-pot sila-Stetter/Paal-Knorr strategy.

[reaction: see text] A multicomponent synthesis of highly substituted pyrroles catalyzed by thiazolium salts has been disclosed. The reaction employs an acyl anion conjugate addition reaction of acylsilanes (sila-Stetter) and unsaturated ketones to generate 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds in situ. The subsequent addition of various amines promotes a Paal-Knorr reaction, affording the desired pyrrole nucleus in an efficient one-pot process.