The stereospecific synthesis of the 1,3-disubstituted benzo[a]quinolizidine 6 is described starting from the easily accessible 3-arylated-6-substituted oxazinone 2. The skeleton is elaborated via an intramolecular aromatic substitution on the alpha-amino aldehyde obtained by treatment of the intermediate piperidine 4 with glycidol and consecutive oxidative cleavage of the diol. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.