A stereoselective synthesis of (3aS, 6aR)-tetrahydrofuro [3, 2-b] pyrrol-3-ones and (3aS, 7aR)-hexahydrofuro [3, 2-b] pyridine-3-ones has been developed through Fmoc protected scaffolds 12 and 13. A key design element within these novel bicyclic scaffolds, in particular the 5, 5-fused system, was the inherent stability of the cis-fused geometry in comparison to that of the corresponding trans-fused. Since the bridgehead stereocentre situated β to the ...