Synthesis of enantiomerically pure bicyclic lactams

Enantiomerically pure homologous 1-azabicyclo[x.y.0]alkanones (x = 4-5, y = 4-7) can be synthesized by ring closing olefin metathesis using Grubbs' ru thenium catalyst. By starting from monocyclic lactams, the bicyclic product s, even eight- and nine-membered rings, are formed in high yields. The mono cyclic lactames can be obtained enantiomerically pure by enzyme-catalyzed k inetic resolution.