A convenient, safe and cost-effective method for carrying out the key vinylation of 5-ethoxy-2-pyrrolidinone (8) in the preparation of 5-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone (2) in the presence of potassium carbonate is described. This present procedure is developed by replacing inherently hazardous ethyl magnesium bromide with inexpensive and eco-friendly potassium carbonate. The reaction was performed on a multi-gram