A variety of substituted 1-aryl-2-propenylamines of high enantiomeric purity were prepared via lipase-catalysed resolution of the corresponding racemates.(R)-1-Phenyl-2- propenylamine was further synthesised into (2R, 3S)-3-benzoylamino-2-hydroxy-3- phenylpropanoic acid methyl ester, the side chain of Taxol®.