To solve problems in a method for manufacturing an alcohol compound by reducing an ester compound by a borohydride compound that, when lithium borohydride or the like is used as the borohydride compound, it is difficult to extract a resultant alcohol and that, when sodium borohydride or the like is used as the borohydride compound, its reducing power is too weak to reduce the ester compound.

Reduction using a composition comprising a borohydride compound and a metal salt in tetrahydropyran permits the use of a borohydride compound that does not react with water violently while it has weak reduction power and is easily handleable. As the same solvent can be used as a reaction solvent and an extraction solvent, simplification of reaction processes, reduction of energy costs and the like are realized. Further, the use of low toxic tetrahydropyran as the solvent enhances safety to a living organism. Thus, the reduction reaction or the like of the ester compound can be carried out more efficiently.