To industrially advantageously obtain the subject new alcohol compound important as an intermediate for prostaglandins from easily available raw materials in advantageous productivity by stereospecifically reducing an α,β-unsaturated ketone.

The alcohol compound of formula I [R1 is methyl, ethyl, trifluoromethyl; R2 is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl; R3 is H, an OH-protecting group; (n) is 0, 1, 2]. The alcohol compound is preferably obtained by stereospecifically reducing (A) an α-unsaturated ketone of formula II with (B) a selective reducing agent, especially a reagent of formula III [R4 is a (substituted) 6-20C aryl; R5 is a (substituted) 2-6C alkyl]. The component A is preferably obtained by reacting (i) an aldehyde of formula IV with a phosphonate of formula V (R6 is a lower alkyl).