Highly regioselective hydrogenolysis of bis(alpha-methylbenzyl)amine derivatives affected by the trifluoromethyl substituent on the aromatic ring.

[reaction: see text] The highly regioselective hydrogenolysis of bis(alpha-methylbenzyl)amine derivatives proceeded with influence not from the electronic effect but from the steric effect of the trifluoromethyl substituent on the aromatic ring to provide a practical asymmetric synthesis of trifluoromethyl-substituted alpha-phenylethylamines.