Synthesis of β-lactams with π electron-withdrawing substituents

β-Lactams are crucial structural feature of β-lactam antibiotics and important intermediates in synthetic and pharmaceutical chemistry. Synthetic methods for β-lactams with π electron-withdrawing substituents, such as formyl (carbaldehyde), acyl, imino, carboxylic acids, carboxylates, carboxamides, cyano (carbonitriles), and nitro groups, on their 3- and/or 4-position(s) are presented in this review. The methods are divided mainly into intramolecular cyclizations, cycloaddition, and other methods, for example, Ugi-type reaction of β-keto acids, amines, and isonitriles, and modification of β-lactam derivatives. Cyclizations include cyclization of haloacetamidoacetates(malonates), intramolecular carbene insertion of α-diazoalkanamides, ring-opening cyclization of α,β-epoxyalkanamidoacetates, oxidative coupling of 3-oxoalkanamidoacetates, oxidative cyclization of N-p-hydroxyphenyl β-oxoalkanamides, intramolecular cyclization of aspartic acid derivatives or β-hydroxyalkanamides, and radical cyclization of N-vinyl β-oxoalkanamides. Cycloadditions incorporate Staudinger cycloaddition of ketenes and imines, cycloaddition of nitrones and alkynes, cycloaddition of nitrones and alkylidenecycopropanes and subsequent acidic rearrangement, and condensation of imines and enolates (ethers) of esters. The scope, limitation, and stereoselectivity are also discussed for some methods. Most of the β-lactam derivatives are key intermediates or precursors for preparation of β-lactam antibiotics and their analogs.