The conjugate addition of activated nitrogen nucleophiles, such as hydroxyl
amine and hydrazine derivatives, to, unsaturated bicyclic lactam 1a gave th
e corresponding beta -amino products 9a-g in good yield and excellent diast
ereoselectivity. These products can be manipulated to a ord enantiopure bet
a -aminopyrrolidinones of potential application as conformationally-constra
ined, substituted glutamate templates of well-defined stereochemistry.