A method for preparing chiral amines useful as pharmaceutical intermediates is provided. The method comprises contacting an ester of formula I in which R.sub.1 is a methyl or an ethyl group; R.sub.2 is a linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl group; and n is 0 or 1 with an enantioselective -transaminase in the presence of an amino donor so that the -transaminase catalyses the enantioselective transfer of an amino group from the amino donor to the - or -ketone group of the ester of formula I to produce an amino ester product with enantiomeric excess of a selected enantiomer.

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Process for preparing (1R,2S)-2,6-dimethyl-1-indanamine by dynamic-kinetic stereoisomer cleavage

There is described a process for preparing virtually enantiopure (1R,2S)-2,6-dimethyl-1-indanamine, characterized by reaction of a mixture of the four stereoisomers of 2,6-dimethyl-1-indanamine with an acylation or carboxylation agent in the presence of a protein having the activity of a lipase and carried out under dynamic-kinetic stereoisomer cleavage.