Three chiral diamines were synthesised and evaluated as sparteine surrogates in the lithiation–substitution of N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl) pyrrolidine. The synthesis and attempted resolution of sparteine-like diamines {(1S*, 2R*, 8R*)-10-methyl-6, 10-diazatricyclo [6.3. 1.02, 6] dodecane and (1S*, 2R*, 9R*)-11-methyl-7, 11-diazatricyclo [7.3. 1.02, 7] tridecane}(via inclusion complex formation) are reported. Unfortunately, it was only ...