| abstract |
Disclosed is a method for producing an alcohol from a lactone or a carboxylic acid ester, which enables to produce an alcohol from a lactone or a carboxylic acid ester under relatively mild conditions with high yield and high catalytic efficiency. This method also enables to produce an optically active alcohol from an optically active lactone or an optically active carboxylic acid ester. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing an alcohol by hydrogen reducing a lactone or a carboxylic acid ester in the presence of a catalyst containing ruthenium and a phosphine compound represented by the following general formula (1): n n n n n n n n n n wherein R 1 represents a spacer; R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 and R 7 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1-12 carbon atoms, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; and R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 and R 13 independently represent an alkyl group having 1-12 carbon atoms, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group. |