A versatile approach to enantiopure (4S, 5R)-5-alkyl-4-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinones is described. The key steps involve a regioselective Grignard reagent addition to (S)- malimides, and diastereoselective reductive dehydroxylation of the resulting hemi-azaketals. The flexibility of this methodology has been demonstrated by the synthesis of (2R, 3R)-3- amino-1-benzyl-2-methylpyrrolidine, the parent diamine of antipsychotic agent, ...