As the biocatalytic cascade N-alkylation of amines with ketoalcohols had proved a viable strategy to access α-substituted Nheterocycles with stereocontrol, we sought to further probe the product scope by introducing steric bulk through the use of benzoyl-alcohols as starting materials. Scheme 4. Synthetic route for the synthesis of α-phenyl Nheterocycles from benzoyl-alcohol substrates.