(

S

)-3

5-bistrifluoromethylphenyl ethanol is a key chiral intermediate for the synthesis of NK-1 receptor antagonists. Enantioselective synthesis of (

S

)-3

5-bistrifluoromethylphenyl ethanol was successfully performed in high enantiomeric excess (e.e.) through asymmetric reduction of 3

5-bis(trifluoromethyl) acetophenone catalyzed by

Candida tropicalis

104 cells. The influence of some key reaction parameters such as substrate concentration

co-substrate and its concentration

biomass and reaction time was examined

respectively. The results showed that these factors obviously influence the yield

but the optical purity of the prepared product remains intact. The optimum conditions for the preparation of (

S

)-3

5-bistrifluoromethylphenyl ethanol were found to be as follows: substrate concentration 50 mmol·L

-1

; 50 g·L

-1

of maltose as co-substrate; wet cell concentration 300 g·L

-1

; reaction for 30 h. Under above optimal conditions

the maximum yield for (

S

)-3

5-bistrifluoromethylphenyl ethanol reached 70.3% with 100% of product e.e.