The chemistry of azetidin-3-ones, oxetan-3-ones, and thietan-3-ones

This review covers the literature of 3-azetidinones,, 3-oxetanones, and 3-thietanones, including partially 3-thietanone-1-oxides and 3-thietanone-1,1-dioxides. Each of these small heterocyclic ring systems are treated in detail, the main lines being at first a short statement about structural information of the heterocyclic system concerned, second, an overview of the methods available for the synthesis of the particular heterocycle, and finally, a discussion on the reactivity of the ring system.