Patent ID: 8623621

Claim:
A process for preparing optically active 2-methylalkan-1-ol of the general formula (III) comprising the steps of: (i) carbonyl-selectively reducing 2-methylalk-2-en-1-al of the general formula (I) to 2-methylalk-2-en-1-ol of the general formula (II) (ii) enantioselectively hydrogenating the 2-methylalk-2-en-1-ol of general formula (II) to the optically active 2-methylalkan-1-ol of the general formula (III); (iii) increasing the optical yield of the optically active 2-methylalkan-1-ol (III) obtained in step (ii) by subjecting it to a lipase-catalyzed acylation reaction; wherein R is C 1 to C 10 alkyl.