A production process for obtaining optically active (3R,1'S)-1-benzyl-3-�(1'-N-methylamino)ethyl!pyrrolidine or (3R,1'S)-3-�(1'-N-methylamino)ethyl!pyrrolidine used as an intermediate for the synthesis of pharmaceutical preparations such as anti-fungal agents in high purity and in high yield using a reduced number of processing steps. The process comprises asymmetrically hydrogenating 3-acetyl-1-benzyl-2-pyrrolidinone in the presence of a complex formed from bidentate phosphine and ruthenium as a catalyst to provide (3S,1'R)-1-benzyl-3-�(1'-hydroxy)ethyl!-2-pyrrolidinone, then reducing with a hydride to provide (3R,1'R)-1-benzyl-3-�(1'-hydroxy)ethyl!pyrrolidine, mesylating or tosylating to provide (3R,1'R)-1-benzyl-3-�(1'-methanesulfonyloxy)ethyl!pyrrolidine or (3R,1'R)-1-benzyl-3-�(1'-p-toluenesulfonyloxy)ethyl!pyrrolidine, and reacting with methylamine to obtain (3R,1'S)-1-benzyl-3-�(1'-N-methylamino)ethyl!pyrrolidine. The prcess may further comprise de-benzylating (3R,1'S)-1-benzyl-3-�(1'-N-methylamino)ethyl!pyrrolidine to obtain (3R,1'S)-3-�(1'-N-methylamino)ethyl!pyrrolidine.