Some N- and O-protected hydroxyazetidine derivatives were hydrogenated to the corresponding amines or aminoalcohols over a Pd/C catalyst, in different solvents (methanol, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran), at 30-60 degrees C and 1-10 bar. These amino compounds, formed during hydrogenolytic ring opening and/or deprotecting reactions, are potential starting materials for preparing optically active, practically important pyrrolidine derivatives. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.