Two mechanisms have been proposed for the beta-lactam-forming photochemical reactions of alpha-ketoamides. One, suggested by Aoyama, involves excited-state H-atom abstraction while the other, put forth by Whitten, follows a sequential SET-proton-transfer route. The photochemical properties of N-trimethylsilylmethyl- and N-tributylstannylmethyl-substituted alpha-ketoamides were explored in order to gain information about the mechanism of this process and to develop a regioselective method for beta-lactam formation. The results of this effort show that (1) photoreactions of N-trimethylsilylmethyl-substituted alpha-ketoamides proceed by competitive H-atom abstraction and sequential SET-desilylation pathways and (2) a sequential SET-destannylation pathway is preferentially followed in photochemical reactions of the tributylstannylmethyl-substituted alpha-ketoamides.