The stereoselectivity of group 8 metal catalysts has been examined in the hydrogenation of 2, 3-butanedione (1) and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (2) at ambient temperature under atmospheric pressure of hydrogen. At the initial stage of the catalytic hydrogenation of 1, the primary product was found to be 2 over every catalyst.2, 3-Buatnediols (3) were produced over cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, osmium, iridium and platinum catalysts in further reduction, but 2 was not hydrogenated to 3 over palladium and rhodium catalysts. The catalytic hydrogenation of 1 over Raney nickel and cobalt, or ruthenium and iridium black catalysts yielded a small excess of meso-isomer of 3. A platinum black catalyst gave a high yield of meso-3 from 1 and 2. From these results, it seems that the catalytic hydrogenation does not proceed directly in the 1→3 fashion, and that the isomeric ratio of 3 (racemic to meso) reflects the stereochemistry of 2, the primarily-desorbed product, on the surface of respective catalysts.