α-Oxoamides 1 with o-tert-butyl substitution on the N-phenyl moiety were found to be stable axially chiral atropisomers. These axially chiral α-oxoamides undergo enantiospecific photochemical γ-Hydrogen abstraction in CHCl3 to yield β-lactams with high enantioselectivity (e.r. 90:10) in solution. The extent of enantioselectivity was found to be dependent on the reaction temperature.