As part of a program aimed at discovering new sodium channel blockers, we required authentic samples of the enantiomers of the class IB antiarrhythmic agent mexiletine (1). 1 Both enantiomers of mexiletine have previously been prepared via classical resolution2, 3 and via enzymatic hydrolysis of an N-acyl derivative. 4 Recently, the (R)-isomer of mexiletine was prepared in 7.2% overall yield using a stereospecific, four-step procedure which ...