Ethyl 4-(2-chloroacetamido)benzoate can be synthesized starting from benzocaine. It undergoes heterocyclization in the presence of ammonium thiocyanate in refluxing ethanol to afford ethyl-4-(4-oxothiazolidin-2-ylideneamino)benzoate, via intramolecular cyclization and the Dimroth-like rearrangements.