A facile and simple one-pot method was developed to produce a series of optically active (S)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediols with good yields (up to 70%) and high enantiomeric excess (>99%) via asymmetric reduction of various substituted aromatic α-oxoaldehydes using Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.