Chemistry Cyclization of P-halopropionamides is an efficient method for the synthesis of P- la~ tams.'~~ Use of NaH as a base in a diluted CHZClz-DMF solution reduces the amount of the acrylamide side product formed by a competitive b-elimination reaction. 8 This procedure has been now applied for the preparation of N-aryl-3-halo-and-3, 3- dihaloazetidin-2-ones 3. Most of the starting sustituted propionyl halides 5 are easily ...