Summary: Unsaturated carbamylcobalt salophens, e. 9.(2), undergo homolytic cleavage (A, sunlamp) producing carbamyl radicals, viz (4) which then undergo cyclisation, accompanied by trapping (with Co II or TEMPO) or dehydrocobaltation, leading to functionalised B-, y-, and 6-lactams eg (31,(61,(8).(111,(13) and (16).