A concise access to alpha,beta-dihydroxy alpha-amino acid-derived N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) with either like or unlike relative configuration is described. The key steps of the synthetic route are the preparation of the nonracemic 4-alkenyl beta-lactams, through either Horner-type olefination of a common 4-formyl beta-lactam or the Corey-Winter alkene synthesis applied to 4-dihydroxyalkyl beta-lactams