A new approach to the synthesis of 1, 3-oxazolidine-2, 4-diones, via a two-step reaction sequence, starting from the readily available α-ketols and isocyanates, is reported. The condensation of the latter led to the key precursors 4-methylene-2-oxazolidinones, which are converted into the diones by an oxidative cleavage of the exocyclic double bond. Thus, 5, 5-disubstituted 1, 3-oxazolidine-2, 4-diones can be accessed in good yields from the ...