The substitution of the 4-methyl group by a 4-isopropyl group in the 2-benzyl-2,4-dihydro-1H-pyrazino[2,1-b]quinazoline-3,6-dione system allows a notable improvement in the stereoselective alkylation at C-I. The configuration of the newly introduced stereogenic centre has been assigned on the basis of H-1 NMR data and NOE measurements. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.