PROCESS FOR PRODUCING OPTICALLY ACTIVE 3-HALO-1,2-PROPANEDIOL DERIVATIVE

摘要

A process for easily producing from an inexpensive material an optically active 3-halo-1,2-propanediol derivative useful as an intermediate for medicines. The process comprises reacting 2-chloroallyl alcohol, which is easily available at low cost, with a hypohalogenous acid salt or a halogen to convert the alcohol into a halohydroxyacetone derivative and subsequently asymmetrically hydrogenating the halohydroxyacetone derivative with hydrogen and an asymmetric hydrogenation catalyst prepared from a transition metal and an optically active phosphine ligand to thereby produce an optically active 3-halo-1,2-propanediol derivative.