The condensation of ethyl isobutyrate (I) with ethanal and trimethylsilylamine in THF gives the azetidinone (III), which is treated with 4-cyanobenzoic acid succinimidyl ester (IV) in DMF yielding 3-(4-cyanobenzamido)-2,2-dimethylnonanoic acid (V). Finally, this compound is condensed with L-phenylalanine ethyl ester (VI) by means of DEC and HOBT in dichloromethane.