Abstract2a,4‐Disubstituted 5‐benzoyl‐2‐chloro/2,2‐dichloro‐2a,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐azeto [1,2‐a] [1,5]benzodiazepin‐1 (2H)‐ones (3a–h) were synthesized by cycloaddition reactions of 2,4‐disubstituted 1‐benzoyl‐2,3‐dihydr o‐1H‐1,5‐benzodiazepines (2a–h) and ketenes, generated from chloroacetyl chloride or dichloroacetyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine, in anhydrous benzene. In some cases, ring contraction of benzodiazepines has also been observed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 12:636–640, 2001