A process for the preparation of L-lditol comprising at least one reaction step, in which a composition comprising L-Sorbose and hydrogen is reacted in the presence of a transition metal catalyst complex in homogeneous solution, wherein the transition metal catalyst complex comprises at least one chiral ligand containing at least one phosphorus atom, which is capable of coordinating to the transition metal, and wherein the transition metal is selected from metals of groups 8, 9 and 10 of the periodic table of the elements according to IUPAC, wherein the chiral ligand is selected from compounds of formula wherein R A, R B, R C and R D are independently from each other alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, wherein the alkyl radicals may carry 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents selected from cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, heterocycloalkoxy, aryloxy, hetaryloxy, hydroxy, mercapto, polyalkylene oxide, polyalkyleneimine, carboxyl, SO 3 H, sulfonate, NE 1 E 2, NE 1 E 2 E 3+ X -, halogen, nitro, formyl, acyl and cyano, wherein E 1, E 2 and E 3 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl, and X - is an anion equivalent, and wherein the cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl radicals R A, R B, R C and R D may carry 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents selected from alkyl and the substituents mentioned for the alkyl radicals R A, R B, R C and R D before, or R A and R B and/or R C and R D together with the P atom and, if present, the groups X 1, X 2, X 5 and X 6 to which they are bound, are a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle, which is optionally fused with one, two or three groups selected from cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and heteroaryl, wherein the heterocycle and, if present, the fused-on groups independently from each other may each carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 substituents selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, hydroxy, mercapto, polyalkylene oxide, polyalkyleneimine, alkoxy, halogen, carboxyl, SO 3 H, sulfonate, NE 4 E 5, NE 4 E 5 E 6+ X -, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl, formyl, acyl and cyano, wherein E 4, E 5 and E 6 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl, and X - is an anion equivalent, X 1, X 2, X 3, X 4, X 5, X 6, X 7, X 8 and X 9 are independently from each other O, S, CR x R y, SiR x R y or NR z, wherein R x, R y and R z are independently from each other hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, Y is divalent bridging group, which contains carbon atoms, a, b, c, d, e and f are independently from each other 0 or 1, provided that the ligand bears at least one chiral moiety. R A, R B, R C and R D are independently from each other alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, wherein the alkyl radicals may carry 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents selected from cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, alkoxy, cycloalkoxy, heterocycloalkoxy, aryloxy, hetaryloxy, hydroxy, mercapto, polyalkylene oxide, polyalkyleneimine, carboxyl, SO 3 H, sulfonate, NE 1 E 2, NE 1 E 2 E 3+ X -, halogen, nitro, formyl, acyl and cyano, wherein E 1, E 2 and E 3 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl, and X - is an anion equivalent, and wherein the cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and hetaryl radicals R A, R B, R C and R D may carry 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 substituents selected from alkyl and the substituents mentioned for the alkyl radicals R A, R B, R C and R D before, or R A and R B and/or R C and R D together with the P atom and, if present, the groups X 1, X 2, X 5 and X 6 to which they are bound, are a 5- to 8-membered heterocycle, which is optionally fused with one, two or three groups selected from cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl and heteroaryl, wherein the heterocycle and, if present, the fused-on groups independently from each other may each carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 substituents selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, hetaryl, hydroxy, mercapto, polyalkylene oxide, polyalkyleneimine, alkoxy, halogen, carboxyl, SO 3 H, sulfonate, NE 4 E 5, NE 4 E 5 E 6+ X -, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl, formyl, acyl and cyano, wherein E 4, E 5 and E 6 are the same or different and are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl, and X - is an anion equivalent, X 1, X 2, X 3, X 4, X 5, X 6, X 7, X 8 and X 9 are independently from each other O, S, CR x R y, SiR x R y or NR z, wherein R x, R y and R z are independently from each other hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, Y is divalent bridging group, which contains carbon atoms, a, b, c, d, e and f are independently from each other 0 or 1, provided that the ligand bears at least one chiral moiety.