Optically active D-2-hydroxybutanoate is an important building block intermediate for medicines and biodegradable poly(2-hydroxybutanoate). Kinetic resolution of racemic 2-hydroxybutanoate may be a green and desirable alternative for D-2-hydroxybutanoate production. In this work, D-2-hydroxybutanoate at a high concentration (0.197 M) and a high enantiomeric excess (99.1%) was produced by an NAD-independent L-lactate dehydrogenase (L-iLDH) containing biocatalyst. 2-Oxobutanoate, another important intermediate, was co-produced at a high concentration (0.193 M). Using a simpleton exchange process with the macroporous anion exchange resin D301, D-2-hydroxybutanoate was separated from the biotransformation system with a high recovery of 84.7%. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.