The orbital (negative hyperconjugation) contribution to the generalized anomeric effect is highly increased in bicyclic gem-diamines with a pseudoamide-type endocyclic nitrogen atom, which has been exploited for the stereoselective synthesis of configurationally stable α-N-linked azadisaccharide heteroanalogues of the natural disaccharides maltose and isomaltose as aglycon-sensitive inhibitors of isomaltase.