Photolysis of ethyl 5-oxo-2-phenyl-2,5-dihydroisoxazole-4-carboxylate at 300 nm in acetonitrile gives a carbene which is captured efficiently by bromide, chloride, acetate and cyanate, and less efficiently by iodide, thiocyanate, cyclohexene and tetrahydrofuran. No hydrogen abstraction or reaction with double bonds was evident.