One aspect of the present invention relates to methods for synthesizing milnacipran or congeners thereof. Another aspect of the present invention relates to asymmetric methods for synthesizing enantiomerically enriched milnacipran or congeners thereof. The present invention also relates to methods for synthesizing intermediates useful in the non-asymmetric or asymmetric methods for synthesizing enantiomerically enriched milnacipran or congeners thereof.