During the course of the structure elucidation of cheryl-line we have determined the absolute configuration at C-4 of various optically active 4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroiso-quinolines by ORD/CD spectroscopy and by X-ray analysis of (S)-N-p-bromobenzoyl-4-p-methoxyphenyl-6, 7-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline.1It was demonstrated that all 4(S)-compounds exhibit a negative first Cotton effect and their enantiomers a positive first Cotton effect in the 270–290 nm region,2corresponding to the UV maximum of the more substituted aromatic ring A (1Lb-transition).