Ms. Manhas et al., STUDIES ON LACTAMS .90. BETA-LACTAM FORMATION VIA ENOLATE ADDITION - AN UNEXPECTED METHYLENATION REACTION, Heterocycles, 35(2), 1993, pp. 635-638
The condensation of ethyl phenylacetate or ethyl beta-hydroxybutyrate
with Schiff bases in presence of an excess of lithium diisopropylamide
or lithium hexamethyldisilazide leads to unsaturated amides instead o
f the expected beta-lactams.