Irradiation of benzil (1) in presence of (S)-2-(2-methoxymethylpiperidinyl)propenenitrile (2e) gives rise to two instable oxetanes. Low quantities of 3-benzoyl-2-(2-methoxymethylpiperidinyl)propenenitrile (4) can be isolated instead. [2+2] Photocycloaddition of methyl phenylglyoxylate (5) with 2-morpholinopropenenitrile (2b) yields to the corresponding rel-(2R,3R)-head-to-head oxetane, the configuration of which was corroborated by NOE-intensity difference studies.