A facile and efficient synthesis of substituted alpha-alkylidene-beta-lactams have been developed via a NaOH-promoted intramolecular aza-Michael addition of alpha-carbamoyl, alpha-(1-chlorovinyl) ketene-S,S-acetals and subsequent nucleophilic vinylic substitution (SNV) reaction in alcoholic aqueous media. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.