PROCESS FOR PRODUCING OPTICALLY ACTIVE (R)-2-CHLORO-1-(3'-CHLOROPHENYL)ETHANOL

摘要

The present invention discloses a process for efficiently producing, on an industrial scale, optically active (R)-2-chloro-1-(3'-chlorophenyl)ethanol which is useful as a raw material for the synthesis of medicines, agricultural chemicals, etc. <??>The process includes allowing cells of a microorganism or a material prepared by treating the cells of the microorganism to act on 2-chloro-1-(3'-chlorophenyl)ethanone to produce (R)-2-chloro-1-(3'-chlorophenyl)ethanol, the microorganism being capable of stereoselectively reducing 2-chloro-1-(3'-chlorophenyl)ethanone to yield (R)-2-chloro-1-(3'-chlorophenyl)ethanol.