An efficient synthesis method for the C-7 substituent of DU-6859a (1), which is a new- generation antibacterial quinolone carboxylic acid, was established by utilizing an enantioselective microbial reduction of 5-benzyl-4, 7-dioxo-5-azaspiro [2.4] heptane (7) to the corresponding chiral alcohol (8) as the key reaction. This synthetic method was based on use of AIPHOS (Artificial Intelligence for Planning and Handling Organic Synthesis), ...