Alkylation of an equimolecular mixture of trans-2,5-dimethylpiperazine dihydrochloride (I) and the free base (II) with benzyl chloride produced the racemic monobenzyl piperazine, which was resolved using (-)-tartaric acid to yield the required (2R,5S)-isomer (III). (R)-3,3,3-Trifluoro-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropionic acid (IV) was protected as the silyl derivative (V) using bis(trimethylsilyl)urea, and subsequently converted to acid chloride (VI) by means of oxalyl chloride. Coupling of acid chloride (VI) with the chiral piperazine (III) afforded amide (VII), which was desilylated in methanolic HCl yielding (VIII). Hydrogenolysis of the N-benzyl group of (VIII) over Pd/C gave piperazine (IX). Finally, coupling of (IX) with 4-cyanobenzoyl chloride (X) furnished the corresponding bisamide.