the invention will now be described in detail in connection with certain preferred and optional embodiments , so that various aspects thereof may be more fully understood and appreciated and briefly described as follows . the present invention provides a simple , efficient process for the preparation of ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methyl aniline , a precursor of s - metolachlor , with high enantiopurity starting from enantiopure ( r )- epichlorohydrin via formation of aziridine intermediate , wherein the enantiopurity / optical purity of ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methyl aniline is more than 99 % ee . in a preferred embodiment , the invention , provides a novel process for the enantioselective synthesis of ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methyl aniline , precursor of s - metolachlor , comprises catalytic hydrogenation of aziridine intermediate [( s )- 4 ] in presence of a solvent to afford ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methyl aniline [( s )- 1 ] with high ee ; wherein the solvent is selected from alcohol , acetic acid , choloroform , ethyl acetate and such like . in an embodiment , the alcohol is selected from methanol , ethanol , propanol , isopropanol , t - butyl alcohol or mixtures thereof . accordingly the catalytic hydrogenation of [( s )- 4 ] is carried out in presence of transition metals loaded on activated carbon or charcoal under hydrogen atmosphere , wherein the transition metals are selected from the group consisting of palladium , platinum , rhodium , ruthenium , iridium , iron or combination thereof ; the catalytic hydrogenation is completed within 1 - 3 hrs . further the metal catalyst ( transition metals loaded on activated carbon ) is used in the concentration range of 10 - 20 wt %. in another preferred embodiment , the present invention provides a simple and effective enantioselective synthesis of ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl ) - 6 - methyl aniline , a precursor of s - metolachlor , with ee greater than 99 % starting from enantiopure ( r )- epichlorohydrin in organic solvent system , wherein the process comprises following steps : i . refluxing solution of ( r )- epichlorohydrin [( r )- 2 ] in lower alcohol with 2 - ethyl - 6 - methyl aniline for about 6 - 8 hours , followed by addition of crushed koh to the mixture at a temperature of 0 ° to 25 ° c ., stirring vigorously at room temperature to obtain ( r )- 1 (( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl ) amino )- 3 - methoxypropan - 2 - ol [( r )- 3 ]; ii . adding dropwise solution of diad ( diisopropyl azo dicarboxylate ) to a solution of [( r )- 3 ] of step ( i ) and triphenylphosphine in dry toluene under n 2 atmosphere at 0 ° c ., followed by refluxing to obtain ( s )- 1 -( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl )- 2 -( methoxymethyl ) aziridine [( s )- 4 ]; iii . catalytic hydrogenating of methanolic solution [( s )- 4 ] of step ( ii ) in presence of pd / c under hydrogen atmosphere to afford the desired product ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methylaniline [( s )- 1 ] with high ee . further the ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methylaniline [( s )- 1 ] is converted into ( s )- metolachlor by the known process . according to the invention , the schematic presentation of the instant process is given herein below in scheme 1 . the solution of ( r )- epichlorohydrin [( r )- 2 ] in lower alcohol is refluxed with 2 - ethyl - 6 - methyl aniline for about 6 hours or till the completion of the reaction , where the completion of the reaction is monitored by tlc , followed by the addition of crushed koh to the mixture at a temperature below 25 ° c ., with vigorous stirring for about 8 hours at room temperature . further the completion of the reaction is monitored by tlc , excess of lower alcohol was evaporated under reduced pressure . after evaporation the reaction mixture is poured into water and extracted with organic solvent . the combined organic layers are washed with brine and dried over na 2 so 4 . the solvent is evaporated and the product is purified by known technique to afford ( r )- 1 -(( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl ) amino )- 3 - methoxypropan - 2 - ol ( r ) [ 3 ] in high yield i . e . more than 95 %. the lower alcohol used in the instant process is not limited to methanol , ethanol , pentanol , butanol , isopropanol , n - propanol , t - butyl alcohol , tert - amyl alcohol ( taa ), isoamyl alcohol , hexyl alcohol and mixtures thereof and the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethyl acetate , acetone , chloroform , toluene , pet ether , methanol , ethanol , and mixtures thereof . further the addition of the crushed koh is carried out at the temperature range of 0 ° c . to 25 ° c ., subsequently to a solution of diad in dry toluene is added dropwise a solution of [( r )- 3 ] and triphenylphosphine in dry toluene under n 2 atmosphere at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture is refluxed for 3 - 5 hrs . after completion of reaction monitored by tlc , the organic solvent is evaporated under reduced pressure and the residue is purified to afford ( s )- 1 -( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl )- 2 -( methoxymethyl ) aziridine [( s ) - 4 ] further alcoholic solution of [( s )- 4 ] is added to palladium on activated carbon and the reaction mixture is stirred under hydrogen atmosphere for 1 to 3 hrs . after completion of the reaction ( monitored by tlc ) the catalyst is filtered over the celite bed and the solvent is evaporated under reduced pressure . the crude product is purified to afford ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methylaniline [( s )- 1 ] the intermediate ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methylaniline [( s )- 1 ] prepared by the process of current invention is obtained with □ 99 % ee and yield more than 75 %. in an another embodiment , the herbicide s - metolachlor is prepared from ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methylaniline [( s )- 1 ] with ee 99 % by using chloroacetyl chloride in the presence of a base in a non - polar solvent which is known in the art . further the intermediates and the product of the instant process are characterized by 1 h nmr and 13 c nmr spectra . the following examples are given by way of illustration of the present invention and therefore should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention . solvents were purified and dried by standard procedures prior to use . 1 h nmr and 13 c nmr spectra were recorded on a bruker ac - 200 & amp ; 400 nmr spectrometers . spectra were obtained in cdcl 3 . the reactions were monitored by using tlc plates merck silica gel 60 f254 and visualization with uv light ( 254 and 365 nm ), kmno 4 and anisaldehyde in ethanol as development reagents . optical rotations were measured with a jasco p 1020 digital polarimeter . enantiomeric excess was determined by chiral hplc , performed on chiral hplc , performed on ‘ shimadzu ’ scl - 10a unit system and uv monitor as detector . to a stirred solution of epichlorohydrin ( r )- 2 ( 2 g , 21 . 6 mmol ) in methanol ( 15 ml ) was added 2 - ethyl - 6 - methyl aniline ( 3 . 2 g , 23 . 7 mmol ) and the resulting mixture was refluxed for 6 h at 70 ° c . after completion of the reaction ( monitored by tlc ), crushed koh ( 3 . 0 g , 54 . 0 mmol ) was added portion wise at temperature 10 ° c . after completing the addition , the reaction mixture was stirred vigorously for 8 h at 30 ° c . after completion of the reaction ( monitored by tlc ), excess methanol was evaporated under reduced pressure . the reaction mixture was then poured into water ( 20 ml ) and extracted with etoac ( 2 × 15 ml ). the combined organic layers were washed with brine ( 10 ml ) and dried over na 2 so 4 . evaporation of the solvent gave the crude residue which was purified by silica gel column chromatography using petroleum ether / etoac ( 90 : 10 ) as eluent to furnish ( r )- 1 (( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl ) amino )- 3 - methoxypropan - 2 - ol ( r )- 3 as a pale brown oil ( 4 . 6 g , 96 %); [ α ] 21 d =+ 4 . 93 ( c 2 . 09 , chcl 3 ); ir ( chcl 3 , cm − 1 ): ν max 3421 , 3009 , 2966 , 1593 , 1466 , 1377 , 1216 , 1129 , 968 , 667 ; 1 h nmr ( 400 mhz , cdcl 3 ): δ h 1 . 26 ( t , j = 7 . 5 hz , 3h ), 2 . 33 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 66 - 2 . 71 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 96 - 3 . 00 ( dd , j = 12 . 4 , 7 hz , 1h ), 3 . 09 - 3 . 12 ( dd , j = 12 . 4 , 3 . 9 hz , 1h ), 3 . 42 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 46 - 3 . 49 ( dd , j = 9 . 4 , 6 . 3 hz , 1h ), 3 . 50 - 3 . 53 ( dd j = 9 . 7 , 3 . 6 hz , 1h ), 3 . 96 - 4 . 00 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 91 ( apparent t , j = 7 . 2 hz , 1h ), 7 . 01 ( d , j = 7 . 3 hz , 1h ), 7 . 04 ( d , j = 7 . 6 hz , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 100 hz , cdcl 3 ): δ c 145 , 136 . 2 , 130 . 6 , 128 . 8 , 126 . 7 , 122 . 6 , 75 . 3 , 69 . 6 , 59 . 2 , 51 . 5 , 24 . 2 , 18 . 5 , 14 . 8 ; ms : m / z 224 [ m + 1 ] + , 246 [ m + na ] + . a solution of diisopropyl azodicarboxylate ( diad ) ( 3 . 0 ml , 15 . 4 mmol ) in dry toluene ( 5 ml ) was added dropwise to a solution of ( r )- 3 ( 2 . 3 g , 10 . 3 mmol ) and triphenylphosphine ( 4 . 0 g , 15 . 4 mmol ) in a dry toluene ( 25 ml ) under n 2 atmosphere at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture was refluxed for 3 h 120 ° c . after completion of reaction ( monitored by tlc ), the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography ( 100 - 200 mesh , petroleum ether / ethyl acetate , 95 : 5 ) to afford ( s )- 1 -( 2 - ethyl - 6 - methylphenyl )- 2 -( methoxymethyl ) aziridine ( s )- 4 as a yellow oil ( 1 . 8 g , 86 %). [ α ] 21 d =− 120 . 51 ( c 1 . 0 , chcl 3 ); ir ( chcl 3 , cm − 1 ): ν max 3419 , 2967 , 2875 , 1915 , 1745 , 1592 , 1460 , 1378 , 1355 , 1276 , 1217 , 1188 , 1108 , 965 , 929 , 900 , 666 ; 1 h nmr ( 400 mhz , cdcl 3 ): δ h 1 . 27 ( t , j = 7 . 6 hz , 3h ), 2 . 03 ( d , j = 6 . 3 hz , 1h ), 2 . 38 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 40 ( d , j = 3 . 0 hz , 1h ), 2 . 44 - 2 . 48 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 75 - 2 . 83 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 46 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 48 - 3 . 51 ( dd , j = 10 . 4 , 5 . 7 hz , 1h ), 3 . 91 - 3 . 94 ( dd , j = 10 . 3 , 4 . 4 hz , 1h ), 6 . 87 ( apparent t , j = 7 . 6 hz , 1h ), 6 . 95 ( d , j = 7 . 2 hz , 1h ), 7 . 01 ( d , j = 7 . 6 hz , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 100 mhz , cdcl 3 ): δ c 149 . 9 , 134 . 9 , 129 . 1 , 128 . 8 , 126 . 9 , 122 . 6 , 74 . 0 , 59 . 1 , 39 . 4 , 34 . 9 , 24 . 3 , 19 . 3 , 14 . 3 ; ms : m / z 206 [ m + 1 ] + , 228 [ m + na ] + . to a solution of ( s )- 4 ( 1 . 0 g , 4 . 87 mmol ) in methanol ( 10 ml ) was added palladium on activated carbon ( 0 . 065 g , 10 %) and the reaction mixture was stirred under hydrogen atmosphere ( balloon ) 30 psi for 1 h at 30 ° c . after completion of the reaction ( monitored by tlc ) the catalyst was filtered over the celite bed ( etoac eluent ) and the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure . the crude product was purified by silica gel column chromatography ( 100 - 200 mesh , petroleum ether / ethyl acetate , 98 : 2 ) to afford ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methylaniline ( s )- 1 ( 0 . 79 g , 78 %) as a pale yellow oil ; [ α ] 2 1 d =+ 11 . 68 ( c 2 . 0 , chcl 3 ); ee & gt ; 99 % [ chiral hplc analysis : chiralcel od - h ( 250 × 4 . 6 mm ) column ; eluent : n - hexane / isopropanol = 99 . 75 : 0 . 25 ; flow rate : 0 . 5 ml / min ; detector : 220 nm ]; ir ( chcl 3 , cm − 1 ): ν max 3409 , 3019 , 2969 , 2877 , 2401 , 1593 , 1465 , 1385 , 1215 , 1103 , 928 , 669 . 1 h nmr ( 200 mhz , cdcl 3 ): δ h 1 . 18 ( d , j = 6 . 4 hz , 3h ), 1 . 25 ( t , j = 7 . 5 hz , 3h ), 2 . 29 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 65 ( q , j = 7 . 3 hz , 2h ), 3 . 35 - 3 . 37 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 38 ( s , 3h ), 6 . 88 ( apparent t , j = 7 . 4 hz , 1h ), 6 . 98 - 7 . 06 ( m , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 50 hz , cdcl 3 ): δ c 144 . 2 , 135 . 5 , 129 . 8 , 128 . 7 , 126 . 5 , 121 . 7 , 76 . 2 , 58 . 9 , 52 . 9 , 24 . 2 , 18 . 9 , 18 . 5 , 14 . 5 ; ms : m / z 208 [ m + 1 ] + , 230 [ m + na ] + . the present invention is advantageous over the prior arts , as the enantioselective process of the instant invention succeeds in providing the important precursor ( s )- 2 - ethyl - n -( 1 - methoxypropan - 2 - yl )- 6 - methylaniline of s - metolachlor with high enantiopurity ( ee & gt ; 99 %) by employing simple , efficient and industrially viable process . also the starting material i . e . ( r )- epichlorohydrin is commercially available . in the instant process highly enantiopure / optically pure precursor of metolachlor gives highly pure enantiomer of metolachlor i . e . ( s )- metolachlor having significant herbicidal activity . the invention will now be illustrated with help of examples . the aforementioned embodiments and below mentioned examples are for illustrative purpose and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention . various modifications of aforementioned embodiments and below mentioned examples are readily apparent to a person skilled in the art . all such modifications may be construed to fall within the scope and limit of this invention as defined by the appended claims .