TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The N-protecting agent is di-tert-butyl dicarbonate anhydride, benzyl chloroformate, fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl chloride or alkyl/aralkyl/haloalkyl chloroformate. The base in step (a) is organic or inorganic base, where the organic base is triethylamine, di-isopropylethylamine, pyridine, piperidine, 4-dimethylaminopyridine, N-methylmorpholine or pyrrolidine, and the inorganic base is alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide, carbonate, bicarbonate preferably sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium carbonate (all preferred), lithium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. The methylating agent is dimethyl sulfate, methyl triflate, methyl p-toluene sulfonate, dimethyl carbonate or trimethyl oxonium tetrafluoroborate. The base in step (b) is inorganic base comprising alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide, carbonate, bicarbonate, preferably sodium hydroxide (preferred), lithium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. The acid catalyst in step (c) is acetic acid, p-toluene sulfonic acid or camphor sulfonic acid. The base in step (f) is organic or inorganic base, where the organic base is triethylamine, di-isopropylethylamine, pyridine, piperidine, 4-dimethylaminopyridine, N-methylmorpholine or pyrrolidine; and the inorganic base is alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide, carbonate, bicarbonate, preferably sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium carbonate (all preferred), lithium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The organic solvent in step (c) is chlorinated solvent preferably dichloromethane; hydrocarbon preferably toluene, cyclohexane or heptane; and ester preferably ethyl acetate. The base in step (d) is organic base comprising triethylamine, di-isopropylethylamine, tributylamine, dicyclohexylamine, piperidine or pyridine. The acid in step (e) is inorganic acid or organic acid, where the inorganic acid is hydrochloric acid (aqueous or gaseous), hydrogen bromide, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen phosphate or perchloric acid; and the organic acid is acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, para-toluene sulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid or camphor sulfonic acid. The organic solvent in step (e) is chlorinated solvents preferably dichloromethane, dichloroethane or chloroform; ether preferably dioxane, tetrahydrofuran or methyl tert-butyl ether; ester preferably ethyl acetate, iso-propyl acetate or tert-butyl acetate; alcohol preferably methanol or ethanol; and hydrocarbon preferably toluene or octane. The organic solvent in step (d) is ether preferably methyl-tert-butyl ether, tetrahydrofuran; hydrocarbon preferably toluene; polar solvent preferably dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, dimethyl acetamide or methanol. The acylating agent in step (f) is acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride. The organic solvent in step (f) is chlorinated solvents, preferably dichloromethane, dichloroethane or chloroform. The purification in step (g) is carried out using solvent comprising ester, preferably ethyl acetate or isopropyl acetate; ether, preferably di-ethyl ether, methyl-tert-butyl ether, tetrahydrofuran or dioxane; alcohol, preferably methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol or tert-butanol; chlorinated solvent, preferably dichloromethane; hydrocarbon, preferably toluene; and/or nitrile, preferably acetonitrile. ACTIVITY - Anticonvulsant.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - None given.    EXAMPLE - A solution of (R)-tert-butyl 4-(methoxymethyl)-5-oxazolidinone (87 g) and benzyl amine (104.5 g) in toluene (900 ml) was stirred under reflux at 120-130 degrees C for 20-22 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled to 0-5 degrees C and acidified with 20% aqueous potassium hydrogen sulfate solution (500 ml). The organic layer was washed with water and concentrated under vacuum to afford (R)-tert-butyl-(1-(benzylamino)-3-methoxy-1-oxopropan-2-yl)carbamate (compound-1, 106 g, 96.30%). To a solution of (R)-tert-butyl-(1-(benzylamino)-3-methoxy-1-oxopropan-2-yl)carbamate (9 g) in methylene chloride (90 ml), concentrated hydrochloric acid (18.5 ml) was added at 0-5 degrees C and stirred at 25-30 degrees C for 2 hours. The reaction mixture was diluted with water (20 ml) at 0-5 degrees C and stirred for half an hour. The aqueous layer was basified with 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide solution at 0-5 degrees C and the reaction mixture was extracted in methylene chloride. The combined organic layer was washed with water and concentrated under vacuum to obtain (R)-N-benzyl-2-amino-3-methoxypropionamide (6.1 g). To a solution of (R)-N-benzyl-2-amino-3-methoxypropionamide (6.1 g) in methylene chloride (61 ml), acetic anhydride (3.3 g) was added at 20-25 degrees C and stirred for 3-4 hours. The reaction mixture was washed with 5% aqueous sodium carbonate solution (40 ml), followed by 5% aqueous potassium hydrogen sulfate solution (20 ml) and water (20 ml). The organic layer was concentrated under vacuum and worked up to obtain the lacosamide (3.75 g).