PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ISOCHROMAN COMPOUNDS

摘要

High-purity isochroman compounds can be obtained in high yields according to a simple and economical process for preparing isochroman compounds, comprising the step of adding an aquesous solution of formaldehyde having a concentration of 40 to 70 wt. % to a complex of an arylalkanol represented by the following general formula (II) with a Friedel-Crafts catalyst to cyclize the arylalkanol: <CHEM> wherein R1 and R2 each stands for a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxyl group, or alternatively R1 and R2 are respectively bonded to adjacent carbon atoms with mutual bonding of R1 and R2 together with the carbon atoms respectively bonded to R1 and R2 to form a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, or a C5 or C6 cycloalkane or cycloalkene which may have 1 to 6 lower alkyl groups; and R3 stands for a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group.