Alkyl isocyanides undergo a smooth reaction with isopropylidene Meldrum’s acid in the presence of pyrrole or indole to produce 1-alkyl-3,3-dimethyl-4-(1H-pyrrole-2-carbonyl)-pyrrolidine-2,5-diones or 1-alkyl-4-(1H-indole-3-carbonyl)-3,3-dimethyl-pyrrolidine-2,5-diones in good yields.