Ethyl 3-fluorocinnamate (III) was prepared by Wittig condensation of 3-fluorobenzaldehyde (I) with phosphorane (II). Conjugate addition of (R)-N-benzyl-alpha-methylbenzylamine (IV) to the unsaturated ester (III) furnished the chiral amino ester (V). The primary amine (VI) was then obtained by hydrogenolysis of the N-benzyl groups in the presence of palladium hydroxyde. Coupling of the known pyrrolidinoneacetic acid (VII) to the amino ester (VI) by means of EDC/HOBt afforded amide (VIII). Finally, saponification of the ethyl ester group of (VIII) led to the corresponding carboxylic acid.