The present invention is to provide a process for producing an optically active amino alcohol which is useful for the synthesis of natural substances and as an intermediate for drugs and agricultural chemicals in a high yield, a high selectivity and an economical manner with a good working efficiency and the present invention relates to a process for producing an optically active amino alcohol represented by the following formula (2) ##STR1##

(in the formula, R¹ is a hydrocarbon group, a substituted hydrocarbon group, an aromatic heterocyclic group, a substituted aromatic heterocyclic group, an aliphatic heterocyclic group or a substituted aliphatic heterocyclic group; R² and R³ each independently is hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a substituted hydrocarbon group, an acyl group, an acyloxy group, an alkyloxycarbonyl group, an aralkyloxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an aromatic heterocyclic group, a substituted aromatic heterocyclic group, an aliphatic heterocyclic group or a substituted aliphatic heterocyclic group; R⁴ is hydrogen atom or a protective group; two or more of R¹, R², R³ and R⁴ may be bonded each other to form a ring; and * is asymmetric carbon) or a salt thereof which comprises subjecting a compound represented by the following formula (1) or a salt thereof to an asymmetric hydrogenation. ##STR2##

(in the formula, R¹ is a hydrocarbon group, a substituted hydrocarbon group, an aromatic heterocyclic group, a substituted aromatic heterocyclic group, an aliphatic heterocyclic group or a substituted aliphatic heterocyclic group; R² and R³ each independently is hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a substituted hydrocarbon group, an acyl group, an acyloxy group, an alkyloxycarbonyl group, an aralkyloxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an aromatic heterocyclic group, a substituted aromatic heterocyclic group, an aliphatic heterocyclic group or a substituted aliphatic heterocyclic group; R⁴ is hydrogen atom or a protective group; two or more of R¹, R², R³ and R⁴ may be bonded each other to form a ring; and a double bond is either cis or trans).