Abstract Treatment of a-chloroacylhydrazones of diary1 and certain aralkyl and dialkyl ketones with sodium hydride in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran gives 1-(disubstituted methylene)- 3-oxo-1, 2-diazetidinium inner salts (ylides). The reaction pathway involves formation of the hydrazone anion followed by intramolecular SN2 halide displacement (with complete inversion at the a carbon) by the spz imine nitrogen. These 1-(disubstituted methylene)-3- ...