Two different methods were used for the construction of optically active diarylmethylamines. Diastereoselective alkylation on an aldimine/oxazolidine 2a/2b derived from (R)/(S)phenylglycinol or enantioselective reduction of 4-[eta(6)-chromium tricarbonylbenzoyl] bromobenzene using chiral oxazoborolidine followed by amine introduction to furnish optically active diarylmethylamines. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.