In 1964 in our group some N-methylbarbiturates were resolved into thei
r enantiomers. For the preparation of greater amounts of these enantio
mers we established a synthesis for N-methylated enantiomeric barbitur
ates starting from enantiomeric disubstituted cyanoacetic acids. These
enantiomeric acids were useful also for the syntheses of some other e
nantiomeric drugs, e.g. hydantoins, cyclic ureas, hexahydropyrimidines
, succinimides-piperidinediones, pyrazolidinediones, 1,5-benzodiazepin
es, 3-aminopropanols and acylanilides.