An orally active carbapenem L-084, which exhibits high bioavailability in humans, has a 1- (1, 3-thiazolin-2-yl) azetidin-3-ylthio moiety at the C-2 position of the 1β-methylcarbapenem skeleton. We established a practical and cost-effective synthesis of 3-mercapto-1-(1, 3- thiazolin-2-yl) azetidine (1) for further scale-up production of L-084. This synthesis method entails an industry-oriented reaction of azetidine ring-closure to yield N-benzyl-3- ...