Synthesis and biological activity of certain azetidin-2-ones

4-Hydroxy benzaldehyde (1a) and vanillin (1b) were converted into respective aryloxy acetic acid derivatives (2a & 2b) by treating with chloroacetic acid, when (1 & 2) were heated with 3-fluoro-4-chloro aniline (3), Schiffs bases (4a-d) were obtained in good yields, (4a-d) when reacted with aryl and substituted aryloxy acetyl chlorides, 1,3-substituted-4-(4-hydroxy phenyl)-azetidin-2-ones (5a1-a8), 1,3-substituted-4-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenyl)-azetidin-2-ones (5a9-a16), 1,3-substituted 4(4-carboxy methylene oxy phenyl)-azetidin-2-ones (5a17-a24) and 1,3-substituted-4-(3-methoxy 4-carboxy methylene oxy phenyl)-azetidin-2-ones (5a25-a32) were obtained. Some of the compounds showed promising antitubercular activity. Most of the compounds exhibited significant antibacterial and antifungal activities.