(S)-N-Boc-baikiain, readily accessible from enantiomerically enriched 2,3-epoxy-5-hexen-1-ol 4 (prepared by Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation), was used as the starting material in the synthesis of indolizidine alkaloid trans-209D , which was obtained in 13 steps and 14% yield from 1 (5% from 4).