Three-step synthesis of 4-(2'-hydroxyethyl)azetidin-2-one and its substituted derivatives from 4-acetoxy-2-pyridones

Abstract 4-(2'-Hydroxyethyl)azetidin-2-one, an important synthetic intermediate for carbapenem, and its substituted derivatives have been synthesized from 4-acetoxy-2-pyridones by photolysis, catalytic hydrogenation, followed by basic hydrolysis in the presence of sodium borohydride.