Diastereomeric pure 2-(2-phenylthiophenyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinolines were prepared and assessed in the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl acetate with dimethyl malonate and in the copper-catalyzed cyclopropanation of styrene with ethyldiazoacetate. Enantioselectivity up to 63% was obtained. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.