cycloaddition of N-phenylmaleimide with azomethine ylides generated from α-aminonitrile or α-aminoester oxazolidines gave bicyclic imides, which were reduced regio- and stereoselectively to hydroxylactams. In the aminonitrile series, reduction with NaBH4/CeCl3 at low temperature gave a single hydroxylactam in high yield. In the aminoester series the regioselectivity was more dependent on the structure, and