Chapter One contains a brief overview of zeolites, their structure, uses and synthesis. Chapter Two relates to the attempted synthesis of quinuclidines via a novel 6-endo-trig radical cyclisation. Chapter Three contains a review of the 'Zip reaction' and the attempted synthesis of triazacyclopentadecane derivatives. Chapter Four relates to the synthesis of pyrrolidines via retro-Cope cyclisation methodology. Reviews of the Cope and retro-Cope reactions, nitrone synthesis and nucleophilic addition of carbon nucleophiles to nitrones are included. The synthetic work is split into three sections relating to the electron withdrawing group used to stabilise the carbanion of the nucleophile - ester, sulphone and sulphoxide - and attempts to indicate the utility of the retro-Cope reaction in the diastereoselective synthesis of substituted pyrrolidines.