Highly constrained 2-amino-3-oxohexahydroindolizino[8-7-b]indole-5-carboxylate derivatives of general formula 1 have been developed as novel beta-turn mimetics. Molecular dynamics studies on model structures 2a and 2b have revealed that both indolizinoindole derivatives are able to adopt conformations close to those of ideal type II' beta-turn. The asymmetric synthesis of this heterocyclic system was accomplished from 1,3-di- and 1,2,3-trisubstituted tetrahydro-beta-carbolines, which were prepared in stereoselective or stereospecific way by application of the Pictet-Spengler reaction.