PURPOSE: To obtain the titled compound useful as an epoxy resin hardener and a raw material for the production of polyimide resin, etc., by the dehydrohalogenation reaction of a dihalogenated saturated alicyclic dicarboxylic acid anhydride under heating in the presence of maleic anhydride.

CONSTITUTION: The objective compound of formula II can be produced by mixing the compound of formula I (R1 and R2 are H or alkyl; X is halogen such as Cl, Br, I, etc.) (e.g. 4,5-dibromocyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid anhydride) with ≥1mol, preferably 1W3mol, based on the compound of formula I , of maleic anhydride, and heating the mixture at ≥150°C, preferably 180W230°C to effect the dehydrohalogenation reaction.