Reaction of bromo-enamides with catalytic Cu(Me-6-trien)Br at room temperature furnishes regioisomeric mixtures of unsaturated pyrrolidinones in a highly efficient manner via an initial 5-endo radical cyclisation reaction followed by an oxidation and elimination of H+. Bromo-enamide 3f furnishes the beta-lactam via a 4-exo cyclisation pathway. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.