Appeal No. 1996-2919 Application No. 08/139,861 wherein R and X are as defined above, in the presence of a ruthenium-optically active phosphine complex as a catalyst, and then recovering the optically active carnitine ester represented by formula (I) which has been formed, wherein said ruthenium-optically active phosphine complex is selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (III): Ru H Cl (R -BINAP) (Q)1 (III) x y z 2 p wherein R -BINAP represents a tertiary phosphine represented1 by formula (IV): -3-Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007