Efficient lactam synthesis

Lactams, libraries of lactams, and an efficient method of synthesizing a lactam, including a γ-lactam, in which an α-diazoacetamide of the general structure (I) is reacted under conditions promoting intramolecular C—H insertion, for example in the presence of a rhodium salt such as Rhby which means lactams that are precursors in the synthesis of diverse natural and synthetic products, including pyrrolidinone compounds such as lactacystin, pramanicin, kainic acid, statine, AHPPA, and rolipram, are produced