Patent ID: 7968328

Claim:
A process for preparing optically active compounds of formulae I-S and/or I-R wherein n is 0, 1, or 2; and m is 0, 1, or 2; comprising (i) reacting an enantiomer mixture of compounds of formula II wherein P is a tert-butyl group or a benzyl group optionally substituted on the phenyl ring; with an acylating agent in the presence of a hydrolase to obtain a mixture wherein one enantiomer of the mixture of compounds of formula (II) is present essentially in acylated form and the other enantiomer of the mixture of compounds of formula (II) is present essentially in the unacylated form; (ii) removing the unacylated enantiomer of compound (II) from the mixture obtained in step (i); (iii) deprotecting the unacylated enantiomer of compound (II) obtained in step (ii) to give the amine (I-S) or (I-R); and (iv) if desired hydrolyzing the essentially acylated enantiomer of compound (II) obtained in step (i) to give the corresponding unacylated enantiomer of the amine (II) and subsequently deprotecting it to give the amine (I-R) or (I-S).