Process for producing optically active alcohol

摘要

A novel process in which an optically active alcohol compound having a desired absolute configuration and a high optical purity can be obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a beta -keto acid compound through a simple operation. An optically active alcohol represented by the following general formula (III) : (wherein R<1> represents a C1-C15 alkyl group which may have one or more substituents (selected from halogen atoms, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, amino groups protected by a protective group, amino groups protected by a mineral acid or organic acid, amino groups substituted with one or more C1-C4 lower alkyl groups, a benzyloxy group, C1-C4 lower alkoxy groups, C1-C4 lower alkoxycarbonyl groups, and aryl groups) or an aryl group; and R<2> represents a C1-C8 lower alkyl group, or a benzyl group which may have one or more substituents) is obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating a beta -keto ester compound represented by the following general formula (I): (wherein R<1> and R<2> are the same as defined above) in the presence of at least one ruthenium complex having as a ligand an optically active tertiary diphosphine compound represented by the following general formula (II): (wherein R<3> and R<4> each independently represent a cycloalkyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group, or a five-membered heteroaromatic ring residue).