On activation by pyridine N-acylation, enolates of N-nicotinoyl and N-isonicotinoyl glycine and alanine derivatives cyclize to yield 6, 5-azabicyclic or 6, 4-azaspirocyclic lactams. With an N-α-methyl-p-methoxybenzyl group the cyclization is diastereoselective; hydrogenation and deprotection yields azabicyclic amino acids in 94: 6 er.
