The invention provides a process for producing an optically active butyric
acid compound and a production intermediate therefore at high yield and
high purity.The present invention provides a process for producing
Compound (6), including reacting Compound (1) with optically active
2-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxybutyrolactone (2a) in the presence of a base
or reacting optically active 2-hydroxybutyrolactone (2b) under Mitsunobu
reaction conditions, to thereby form Compound (3); reacting Compound (3)
with an alcohol and a halogenating agent, to thereby form Compound (4);
dehalogenating Compound (4), to thereby form Compound (5); and
de-esterifying Compound (5). ##STR00001##