A process for preparing trans-enriched MDACH, including: distilling an MDACH starting mixture in the presence of an auxiliary, which is an organic compound having a molar mass of 62 to 500 g/mol, a boiling point at least 5° C. above the boiling point of cis,cis-2,6-diamino-1-methylcyclohexane, and 2 to 4 functional groups, each of which is independently an alcohol group or a primary, secondary or tertiary amino group. The MDACH starting mixture includes 0 to 100% by weight of 2,4-MDACH and 0 to 100% by weight of 2,6-MDACH, based on the total amount of MDACH present in the MDACH starting mixture. The MDACH starting mixture includes both trans and cis isomers. Trans-enriched MDACH includes 0 to 100% by weight of 2,4-MDACH and 0 to 100% by weight of 2,6-MDACH, where the proportion of trans isomers in the mixture is higher than the proportion of trans isomers in the MDACH starting mixture.