Variously substituted enantiopure 2-benzylamino-1-hydroxymethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolizines and 6-benzylamino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroindolizin-8-ols have been prepared. The reaction sequence starts from L-α-amino acids and involves an intramolecularcycloaddition of pyrrole-based nitrone intermediates. A theoretical investigation at the HCTH/6-311+G(d,p)//HCTH/6-31+G(d) level of theory was performed with