Shell Oil Comapny

Alexander F Orr

Michael D Barker

David R Clifford

2-Azetidinylacetic acid and certain of its congeners and use thereof for sterilizing the male parts of wheat plants.

2-azetidineacetic acid and certain of its congeners

N-formyl-3-carboxyazetidine of the formula ##STR1## and use thereof for sterilizing the male parts of wheat plants.

N-Formyl-3-carboxyazetidine and its use for sterilizing the male parts

1-Benzylazetidin-3-ol, a precursor to 3-carboxyazetidine, is prepared by heating N-benzyl-3-amino-1-chloropropan-2-ol in an aqueous medium, optionally treating the resulting hydrochloride salt with an alkali metal base.

Preparation of 1-benzylazetidin-3-ol

Compounds of the general formula ##STR1## wherein each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl group, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together represent an optionally substituted alkylene group;

Growing community of inventors

Teynham, Nr. Sittingbourne, United Kingdom

Alexander F Orr