The three-component reaction of 3-phenyl-1-azabicyclo[1.1.0]butane (1a) with 2,3-dicyanofumarates (DCFM) and primary aromatic amines in dichloromethane at room temperature yielded mixtures of (Z)-2-arylamino-3-cyanofumarates (7) and the corresponding (E)-2-(azetidin-1-yl)-3-cyanomaleates (6) and (9). In the case of anisidine (8d), higher oligomers containing three or four azetidine residues, e.g. 10a, were also formed. With more nucleophilic aliphatic amines, only 1:1 adducts of type 7 were obtained. The reaction course can be rationalized by the formation of intermediate zwitterions (11) via addition of the N-nucleophiles onto DCFM. The results show that the nucleophilicity of 1a toward DCFM is lower than that of aliphatic amines but exceeds that of aromatic amines. aromatic amines in dichloromethane at room temperature yielded mixtures of (Z)-2-arylamino-3-cyanofumarates (7) and the corresponding (E)-2-(azetidin-1-yl)-3-cyanomaleates (6) and (9). In the case of anisidine (8d), higher oligomers containing three or four azetidine residues, e.g. 10a, were also formed. With more nucleophilic aliphatic amines, only 1:1 adducts of type 7 were obtained.The reaction course can be rationalized by the formation of intermediate zwitterions (11) show that the nucleophilicity of 1a toward DCFM is lower than that of aliphatic amines but exceeds that of aromatic amines.