Studies of the preparation of 1, 8-dihydroazocines and transannular cyclization of hydroazocines to produce functionalized pyrrolizidines are described. Results are presented which demonstrate that unsymmetrically substituted acetylenes bearing at least one electron withdrawing groups undergo efficient cycloaddition to 1-β-styryl-1, 2-dihydropyridine producing in a regio-selective fashion 3, 4-disubstituted-1, 8-dihydroazocines. The ...