Process for the production of optically active β-amino alcohols

A process for producing an optical active β-amino alcohol, the process comprising allowing at least one microorganism selected from the group consisting of microorganisms belonging to the genus Morganella genus, the genus Microbacterium, the genus Sphingobacterium, the genus Nocardioides, the genus Mucor, the genus Absidia, the genus Aspergillus, the genus Penicillium, the genus Grifola, the genus Eurotium, the genus Ganoderma, the genus Hypocrea, the genus Helicostylum, the genus Verticillium, the genus Fusarium, the genus Tritirachium, the genus Mortierella, the genus Armillariella, the genus Cylindrocarpon, the genus Klebsiella, the genus Aureobacterium, the genus Xanthomonas, the genus Pseudomonas, the genus Mycobacterium, the genus Sporobolomyces, the genus Sporidiobolus, the genus Amycolatopsis, the genus Coprinus, the genus Serratia, the genus Rhodococuss and the genus Rhodotorula to act on an enantiomeric mixture of an α-amino ketone or a salt thereof having the general formula (I):

• wherein X may be the same or different and represents at least one member selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, lower alkyl, hydroxyl optionally protected with a protecting group, nitro and sulfonyl;
• n represents an integer of from 0 to 3;
• R1 represents lower alkyl;
• R2 and R3 may be the same or different and represent at least one member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and lower alkyl;
• and “*” represents an asymmetric carbon,
• to produce an optically active β-amino alcohol compound with the desired optical activity having the general formula (II):
• wherein X, n, R1, R2, R3 and “*” are as previously defined.