Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)We describe herein an approach to the total synthesis of functionalized pyrrolizidinones and pyrrolizidines. The synthetic sequence is based on a highly stereoselective substrate-controlled Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction between a chiral amino-aldehyde and methyl acrylate. The selectivity attained in this reaction was controlled by the presence of a hydroxyl group adequately placed in the structure of the amino-aldehyde used as the nucleophilic component of the MBH reaction. The MBH adducts were used as substrate for an efficient total synthesis of pyrrolizidinones and pyrrolizidines in good overall yield. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.702033193326Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FAPESP [2011/20033-5, 2009/51602-5]