Provided herein is a highly pure arformoterol tartrate or an amorphous form thereof substantially free of desformyl impurity, 2-hydroxy-5-[(1R)-1-hydroxy-2-[[(1R)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-methylethyl]amino]ethyl]aniline, process for the preparation thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the highly pure arformoterol tartrate substantially free of the desformyl impurity.