TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The reducing agent is selected from Raney nickel or palladium on carbon.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The cyclization is carried out in presence of sulfuric acid and a chlorinated solvent like dichloromethane. The acylation is carried out in presence of base sodium carbonate and solvent dichloromethane. The praziquantel is purified by acetone and water. Preferred Components: The solvent in the step (a1) is toluene and the base is sodium bicarbonate. The solvent in the step (b1) and step (c1) is water and base is sodium hydroxide. The solvent in the step (d1) is selected from methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol. ACTIVITY - Anthelmintic. No biological data given.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - None given.    EXAMPLE - beta -Phenylethylamine (0.68 kg) was taken in dry toluene (4.42 l) and sodium bicarbonate (0.612 kg) was added at 30 degrees C and cooled to 0-5 degrees C. Chloroacetylchloride was slowly added under nitrogen blanket at 0-10 degrees C, stirred and maintained for 2 hours. After completion of the reaction, water was added slowly and reaction mass was allowed to attain 33 plus minus 2 degrees C and the layers were separated. After work up 2-chloro-N-phenethylacetamide (a1) (yield: 1 kg) was obtained. Benzylamine (0.927 kg), chloroacetaldehydedimethylacetal (0.909 kg), sodium hydroxide solution (0.35 kg) in water (2.72 l) were charged into the flask under stirring at 25-30 degrees C for 10-15 minutes. Reaction mass was heated to 100-102 degrees C under stirring for 30 hours. After work up N-benzyl-2,2-dimethoxyethanamine (a2) (yield 1.0 kg) was obtained. The compound (a1) (0.589 kg), compound (a2) (0.614 kg), potassium carbonate (0.522 kg) in water (1.84 l) were charged into the flask under stirring at 25-30 degrees C for 10-15 minutes. Reaction mass was heated to 75-80 degrees C under stirring for 8 hours. After work up 2-((2,2-diraethoxyethyl)benzylamino)-N-phenethylacetamide (a3) (yield: 1.0 kg) was obtained. The compound (a3) (1.47 kg), methanol (4.41 l) were treated with Raney nickel (0.147 kg) at 25-30 degrees C. Flush nitrogen and hydrogen. Hydrogen pressure (10 kg/cm2) was applied at 25-30 degrees C. Reaction mass was heated to 65-67 degrees C for 20 hours at 10 kg hydrogen pressure. After work up 2-((2,2-dimethoxyethyl)amino)-N-(2-phenylethyl)acetamide (a4) (yield: 1.0 kg) was obtained. The compound (a4) (2.0 kg), dichloromethane (4.0 l) and sulfuric acid (2.33 l) were stirred at 10-15 degrees C for 30 minutes, slowly allowed to attain 25-30 degrees C and stirred for 2 hours. After work up 4-oxo-1,2,3,6,7,11b-hexahydro-4H-pyrazino(2,1-a)isoquinoline (a5) (yield: 1.0 kg) was obtained. The compound (a5) (0.72 kg), dichloromethane (4.32 l) and sodium carbonate (0.4 kg) were stirred at 25-30 degrees C for 15 minutes, cooled to 0-5 degrees C. Cyclohexanoyl chloride (0.54 kg) was added dropwise, allow the reaction mass to attain 25-30 degrees C under stirring for 2 hours. After completion of reaction, reaction mass was quenched to DM water below 30 degrees C, maintain the pH at 8-8.5, and stirred. After work up, Praziquantel was obtained.