4-Oxoazetidine-2-carboxylic acid may be interpreted
as a cyclic mimetic of the amino acid Asp. Due to the high
reactivity of the four-membered ring, this molecule can serve
as an “electrophilic trap” in reactions with nucleophiles. 4-oxoazetidine-2-carboxylic acid can be used as a building block for developing enzyme inhibitors, particularly protease inhibitors. It undergoes coupling reactions with amino acids and oligopeptide esters. Following desilylation of the amino acid residue and deprotection, free β-lactam peptides are obtained[1].
