To produce an optically active aromatic carbinol through an economical new process by asymmetrically reducing a specific aromatic ketone in the presence of an asymmetric reductant obtainable from an acid adductive salt of an optically active amino alcohol, a metal borohydride, and an acid or the like.

The objective compound of formula III is obtained by asymmetrically reducing (A) an aromatic ketone of formula I [R5 is a (substituted or condensed) aryl; R6 is a (substituted) aliphatic hydrocarbon residue or a (substituted) heterocyclic residue] in the presence of (B) an asymmetric reductant obtainable from (i) an acid adductive salt of an asymmetric amino alcohol of formula II [R1 is a 1-7C alkyl, a (substituted) aryl or a (substituted) aralkyl; R2 is H, a lower alkyl or a (substituted) aralkyl, or R1 and R2 together form a lower alkylene; R3 and R4 are each H, a 1-7C alkyl, a (substituted) aryl or a (substituted) aralkyl, or R3 and R4 together form a lower alkylene or R1 and R3 together form a (substituted, condensed with a benzene ring) lower alkylene], (ii) a metal borohydride, and (iii) an acid or a dialkyl sulfate.