Patent ID: 8552215

Claim:
A method for producing an optically active 2-hydroxy ester, the method comprising selectively esterifying one enantiomer of a racemic 2-hydroxy ester in a solvent containing a catalyst represented by any one of the following formulae (a) to (d), and a carboxylic acid anhydride, or a carboxylic acid anhydride and a carboxylic acid, the racemic 2-hydroxy ester being a compound represented by formula (f) below, the carboxylic acid anhydride being an anhydride of a carboxylic acid having a tertiary carbon atom or a quaternary carbon atom in the α-position, provided that the solvent contains a carboxylic acid anhydride but does not contain a carboxylic acid, whereas the carboxylic acid has a tertiary carbon atom or a quaternary carbon atom in the α-position, provided that the solvent contains a carboxylic acid anhydride and a carboxylic acid, wherein, X represents any one of the following substituents: and R represents a protecting group, wherein, R f1 represents a monovalent organic group, and R f2 represents a group selected from the group consisting of alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, alkenyl group, cycloalkenyl group, alkynyl group, and arylalkyl group.