A process for the preparation of chiral &agr;-hydroxycarboxylic acids: in which R1 is optionally halogen substituted C1-C2-alkyl and R2 is optionally halogen substituted C2-C3-alkyl from a compound: in which R′2 is optionally halogen substituted C2-C3-alkylene, m is 0 or 1 and R is optionally substituted alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl and X can be oxygen, sulfur, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, imino, C1-C6-alkylimino, xanthate, silyl, or, if m is equal to 0, halogen, which is reacted in the presence of a cyanide group donor to give the corresponding (R)- or (S)-cyanohydrin or its racemate: which then is converted by means of acidic hydrolysis into an acid: or its racemate, and by cleavage of the group: (R)m-X  (V), and optional resolution, whereby the desired chiral &agr;-hydroxycarboxylic acid of the formula (I) is obtained.