Optically active benzyl-α -d alcohol has been prepared by asymmetric reduction of benzaldehyde-l-d (or benzaldehyde) with six different reagents, namely, isobornyloxyaluminum dichloride, α -d-isobornyloxyaluminum dichloride, bornyloxyaluminum dichloride, isobornyloxymagnesium bromide, α-d-isobornyloxymagnesium bromide, and bornyloxymagnesium bromide. The extent of asymmetric induction is, respectively, 10.4, 17.8, 32.7, 52.2, 64.1, and 64.5%. The absolute configurations of benzyl-a-d alcohol from reduction with isoborneol complexes are in agreement with the preferred six-membered cyclic transition state where the bulky C-l atom of the camphor nucleus and the phenyl group are oppositely placed, but the results of reduction with borneol complexes are anomalous. The extent of asymmetric reduction is greatly influenced by the reactivity of the reducing agent; the slower the rate, the greater the asymmetric induction.© 1970, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.