We describe in this Letter a new synthetic method for pyrrolin-2-ones as potent plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) inhibitors. Pyrrolin-2-one derivativessynthesized from N-2-oxoethylamides and aldehydes in aqueous NaOH by one-pot were evaluated for their PAI-1 inhibitory activity. Among these derivatives, compounds 16 and 18 were found to possess potent PAI-1 inhibitory activity (compound 16: