Process for the preparation of optically active 2-halo-1-(substituted

Abstract

The present invention provides an industrially advantageous process for the preparation of an optically active 2-halo-1-(substituted phenyl)ethanol useful as medicines, agricultural chemicals or as intermediates thereof; and a simple process for the preparation of an optically active substituted styrene oxide or 2-amino-1-(substituted phenyl)ethanol useful as medicines, agricultural chemicals or intermediates thereof. A 2-halo-1-(substituted phenyl)ethanol represented by the following general formula (I) is allowed to contact, in the presence of a carboxylic anhydride, with an enzyme stereoselectively catalyzing ester interchange to produce an optically active 2-halo-1-(substituted phenyl)ethanol: ##STR1## (wherein X represents a chlorine atom or a bromine atom, and R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may be the same or different and each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C.sub.1-5 alkyl group, a C.sub.1-5 haloalkyl group, a C.sub.1-5 alkoxy group, a cyano group or a nitro group, with the proviso that when two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are alkyl groups or alkoxy groups, they may be combined together to form a ring and that all of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time).