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ChemInform Abstract Optically active chromium carbene complexes such as (I) utilizing an (R)-phenylglycine-derived chiral auxiliary are synthesized and subjected to photolytic reactions with a number of imines such as (II) to give the adducts (III) with high diastereoselectivities. Removal of the chiral auxiliaries leads to the optically pure free amino β-lactams (IV) possessing the same absolute configuration at the carbon adjacent to the lactam carbonyl group as the chiral auxiliary. Somewhat lower yields are obtained in the (S)-series using n (S)-valine-derived chromium complex.