We recently reported that the ED50 value for (R, S)-2, 3-dimethoxypropionamide (1) in the maximal electroshock (MES)-induced seizure test in mice was 30 mg/kg (Choi, D.; Stables, JP, Kohn, H. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 1996, 4, 2105). This value is comparable to that observed for phenobarbital (ED50= 22 mg/kg). Compound 1 is structurally similar to a class of MES- selective anticonvulsant agents, termed functionalized amino acids (2), that were ...