Protonation of typical unstrained amides and lactams is heavily favored at oxygen. In contrast, protonation of the highly distorted lactam 1-azabicyclo [2.2. 2] octan-2-one is heavily favored at nitrogen. What structures occupy “crossover boundaries” where N-and O- protonation are nearly equienergetic? Density function theory calculations at the B3LYP/6- 31G* level, as well as QCISD (T)/6-31G* calculations, predict that 1-azabicyclo [3.3. 1] ...