Abstract The hydrogenation of (E)-2-(trifluoromethyl) alk-2-en-1-ols catalyzed by Ru-BINAP and Rh-BINAP has been carried out with good enantiomeric excess (71%–83% ee). Ru- BINAP-catalyzed hydrogenation converted 2-trifluoromethyl-acrylic acid to the corresponding saturated acid, the ester-ification and reduction of which gave optically active 2-(trifluoromethyl) propan-1-ol in 80% ee.