The subject invention provides derivatives of propargylamino indan (PAI) and propargylamino tetralin that selectively inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the brain, having the structure: ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.1 is OC(O)R.sub.9 and R.sub.2 is H, wherein R.sub.9 is branched or unbranched C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl, orR.sub.1 is OC(O)R.sub.4 and R.sub.2 is OC(O)R.sub.4, wherein R.sub.4 is branched or unbranched C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or NR.sub.5R.sub.6, wherein R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are each independently H, C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.6 to C.sub.12 aryl, C.sub.6 to C.sub.12 aralkyl or C.sub.6 to C.sub.12 cycloalkyl, each optionally substituted; wherein R.sub.3 is H or C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl; wherein n is 0 or 1; and wherein m is 1 or 2,or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Additionally, the subject invention provides methods of treating neurological disorders using these compounds, uses of these compounds for the manufacture of medicaments for treating neurological disorders and processes for synthesis of these compounds.