Abstract Np-Toluenesulfonylglycine esters 2 condensed with α, β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds 1 in the presence of the non-nucleophilic base DBU to give hydroxypyrrolidines 3. Dehydration with phosphorus oxychloride-pyridine, followed by DBU mediated elimination of p-toluenesulfinic acid, gave a series of synthetically useful pyrrole-2- carboxylates 5.