The viral enzyme integrase is essential for the replication of HIV-1 and, after the discovery of Isentress (TM), represents a validated target for anti-retroviral therapy. Incorporation of the dihydroxycarbonyl pharmacophore into a pyrrolinone scaffold led to the discovery of 5-pyrrolinone-3-carboxamides as a structurally diverse class of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.