Abstract The synthesis of a variety of hydroxylactams from ω-phthalimidoalkanoates using a triplet-sensitized photodecarboxylation reaction initiated by intramolecular photo electron transfer is described. Ring sizes available by this method span from 4 (benzazepine-1, 5- dione 7) to 26 (cyclodipeptide 26e). Ground-state template formation is proposed as the explanation for the high efficiency of this reaction and for the decrease in reactivity in the ...