In situ Raman spectroscopy was used to assess the progress of the Michael addition reaction between imidazole and ethyl acrylate in dry media over basic carbon catalysts. N-substituted imidazoles and their derivatives obtained under these reaction conditions are pharmaceutically important due to their pharmacodynamic properties. Real-time Raman monitoring provides a non-invasive insight during the C-N coupling/Michael addition in the presence of basic catalysts. The progress of the reaction was monitored following the changes in intensity of the characteristic Raman bands. The results obtained by real-time Raman monitoring confirm the mechanism proposed for the reaction, the direct C-N coupling between imidazole and ethyl acrylate without the formation of any intermediate. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.