TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (Claimed): Preparation of (A), comprises: reacting substituted amide compounds of formula (R2-O-CH=CH((-C(=O)-OH)(-NH-C(=O)-R3))) with an amine compound of formula (R1CH2NH2) in a solvent in the presence of a base. Preferred Process: The process of manufacturing (B1) is: performed in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising 1,2-bis((2R,5R)-2,5-dimethylphospholano)benzene(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (a), (+)-1,2-bis((2S,5S)-2,5-diphenylphospholano)ethane(1,5-cyclooctadiene) rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (b), (-)-1,2-bis((2S,5S)-2,5-dimethylphospholano)ethane(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (c), (1S,2S)-bis((2-methoxyphenyl)diphenylphosphino)ethane(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (d), (1S,1'S,2R,2'R)-1,1'-di-t-butyl-(2,2')-diphospholane (1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (e), (R)-(+)-(2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl)ruthenium (f), (-)-2,3-bis((2R,5R)-2,5-dimethylphospholanyl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (g), (1R,1R',2S,2S')-(+)-2,2'-di-t-butyl-2,3,2',3'-tetrahydro-1,1'-bi-1H-isophosphindole(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (h), (R)-(-)-1,13-bis(diphenylphosphino)-7,8-dihydro-6H-dibenzo(f,h)(1,5)dioxonin(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (i), (R,R)-(-)-1,2-bis((R)-4,5-dihydro-3H-binaphtho(1,2-c:2',1'-e)phosphepino)benzene(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (j), or (-)-1,2-bis((2R,5R)-2,5-diethylphospholano)benzene(1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) tetrafluoroborate (k); performed in a solvent comprising methanol, tetrahydrofuran, ethanol or 2-methyl-tetrahydrofuran; performed at a temperature of 20-45 degrees C; and performed under a pressure of hydrogen of 5-10 Barg. The process of manufacturing (B1), preferably (R)-2-acetamido-N-benzyl-3-methoxypropion-amide (B2), comprises: either catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of (Z)-2-acetamido-N-benzyl-3-methoxyacrylamide, in the presence of hydrogen using a chiral catalyst comprising any one of (a)-(c); catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-acetamido-3-methoxyacrylic acid, and reacting obtained N-acetyl-O-methyl-D-serine with benzylamine in tetrahydrofuran or dichloromethane in the presence of ethyl chloroformate or isobutyl chloroformate as activating agent and N-methylmorpholine as base; or hydrolyzing methyl (R)-2-acetamido-3-methoxypropionate, and reacting obtained N-acetyl-O-methyl-D-serine with benzylamine in tetrahydrofuran or dichloromethane in the presence of ethyl chloroformate or isobutyl chloroformate as activating agent and N-methylmorpholine as base. The process of manufacturing (B2) comprises hydrolyzing (Z)-methyl-2-acetamido-3-methoxypropenoate into Z-2-acetamido-3-methoxyacryic acid, reacting obtained 2-acetamido-3-methoxyacryic acid with benzylamine in the presence of ethyl chloroformate (ECF) or isobutyl chloroformate (IBCF) and a base to afford (Z)-2-acetamido-N-benzyl-3-methoxyacrylamide, and performing catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of (Z)-2-acetamido-N-benzyl-3-methoxyacrylamide in the presence of a chiral catalyst comprising any one of (a)-(c). Preferred Components: The ratio of substrate/catalyst expressed in mole percentage is at least 1000. ACTIVITY - Anticonvulsant.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - None given.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - 1 Compound (A) is specifically claimed i.e. (Z)-2-acetamido-N-benzyl-3-methoxyacrylamide of formula (Aa).    EXAMPLE - N-Methylmorpholine (16.6 ml) was added slowly at a temperature of -40 degrees C to a solution of 2-acetamido-3-methoxyacrylic acid (20 g) in dichloromethane (300 ml) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) (100 ml). After 20 minutes, isobutyl chloroformate (IBCF) (19.67 ml) was added at -40 degrees C and stirred for 20 minutes. Then, benzylamine (16.5 ml) in tetrahydrofuran (40 ml) was added at -40 degrees C, and the obtained reaction mixture was stirred for 1 hour and allowed to room temperature. Solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure. The obtained crude was purified by column chromatography in methanol (5%) in chloroform to afford (Z)-2-acetamido-N-benzyl-3-methoxyacrylamide (17 g) as a white colored powder.