The reaction of hydroxylamines with ethyl cyanoformate 1 leads to the formation of carbethoxyamino nitrones 2. UV spectroscopy provided information that suggested the nitrone structure for these compounds in solution. X-ray analysis of 2a confirmed that it exists entirely in the nitrone form in the solid state. These nitrones are shown to be excellent starting materials for a variety of nitrogen containg compounds, namely, imidazoles, ...