Unexpected observation. Not surprisingly, mono-and polysubstituted 3-azabicyclo[3. 1.1]heptanes were known in the literature. We needed, however, a modular approach that would provide compounds with only two substituents (two vectors) at the bridgehead positions of the core (Scheme 1) without additional (poly)substitution at other positions. Our previously used iodocyclization and photocyclization tactics 3 were unfortunately not appropriate here. A solution came unexpectedly from a side project. Spirocycles are currently popular in chemistry, and we have several ongoing projects on making them. One of those projects relies on the double alkylation of acetonitriles and the subsequent reduction of the nitrile group. For example, the reduction of nitrile 1 with LiAlH4 in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature gave the spirocyclic amine 2. At the same time, analogous reduction of oxetane 3 unexpectedly afforded the side product 3a (Scheme 2). We were surprised to observe the formation of 3a because a ring opening of even flexible oxetanes usually requires a Lewis acid catalysis. In addition, the 3-azabicyclo[3. 1.1]heptane system is conformationally rigid, and analogous rigid systems are often difficult to form via the common alkylation strategies. Instead, photochemistry or a strain-release tactics 11 have to be used.