Abstract A simple five-step synthesis of fully substituted (4RS, 5RS)-4-aminopyrazolidin-3- ones as analogs of D-cycloserine was developed. It comprises a two-step preparation of 5- substituted (4RS, 5RS)-4-(benzyloxycarbonylamino) pyrazolidin-3-ones, reductive alkylation at N (1), alkylation of the amidic N (2) with alkyl halides, and simultaneous hydrogenolytic deprotection/reductive alkylation of the primary NH 2 group. The synthesis enables an ...