Synthesis of fused bicyclic systems with nitrogen atom at the bridgehead, including indolizidines and quinolizidines.

Monocyclic as well as fused bicyclic systems with a nitrogen 10 atom at the bridgehead, including indolizidines and quinolizidines, can be prepared in four steps from N-Boc β-lactams. These easily prepared, highly robust, and flexible building blocks allow the incorporation of chirality and structural diversity, rendering the method feasible for diversity- as well as target-oriented synthesis.