Patent ID: 7161047

Claim:
A process for preparing a secondary alcohol represented by formula (2a), wherein R 1a is optionally unsaturated C1–10 alkyl group, halogeno C1–10 alkyl group, optionally unsaturated C3–10 cycloalkyl group, aralkyl group, hydroxy substituted C1–10 alkyl group, C1–10 alkyloxy substituted C1–10 alkyl group, furyl substituted C1–10 alkyl group, or aryloxy substituted C1–10 alkyl group, and R 2a is hydrogen atom, which comprises reacting a primary amine or a secondary amine, a noble metal catalyst and an epoxy derivative represented by formula (1a), wherein R 1a and R 2a are the same as defined above, to obtain the secondary alcohol represented by formula (2a).