Method for producing optically active alcohols

A method for producing optically active alcohols, comprising reducing a ketone in the presence of an iridium(III) complex having a chiral prolinamide compound as a ligand

• wherein the ketone is a compound represented by formula [I]:
• (wherein R1 and R2 are different from each other, and each represent an optionally substituted straight or branched alkyl group, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted heteroaryl group, an optionally substituted aralkyl group, an optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl group, an optionally substituted alkenyl group or an optionally substituted alkynyl group, and
• R1 and R2 are bound to each other at any appropriate position to form a ring, the ring optionally containing one or more atoms which may be the same or different and are selected from an oxygen atom, an optionally substituted nitrogen atom and a sulfur atom),
• wherein the ring is a condensed ring of an optionally substituted aliphatic carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring and an optionally substituted aromatic or hetero-aromatic ring, wherein the chiral prolinamide compound is a compound represented by formula [III]:
• (wherein R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted heteroaryl group, and the symbol * indicates that the carbon atom is a chiral center).