2-(Azetidin-2-one-1-yl)-3-phenylpropionic acid and 2-(azetidin-2-thione-1-yl)-3-phenylpropionic acid were designed as potential active site directed inactivators for carboxypeptidase A, but shown to be they are competitive reversible inhibitors for the enzyme. The observation was somewhat surprising, but is not unexpected considering the recent report of Page who questioned the validity of the generally believed notion that $eta-lactam$ ring is highly unstable.