PURPOSE: An easily and inexpensively available alkene derivative is used as a starting compound and heated in the presence of a palladium or nickel catalyst to enable high-yield production of the titled compound used as a synthetic intermediate of a smell component for perfume.

CONSTITUTION: An alkene derivative of formula I (R is lower alkyl; Q is halogen, RCOO- group) is heated in the presence of a palladium catalyst, preferably a combination of Pd[P(C6H5)3]4 or Pd(OCOCH3)2 with triphenyl phosphine or a nickel catalyst, preferably Ni(CO)2[P(C6H5)3]2, when necessary, in the coexistence of an alkali metal salt of lower aliphatic carboxylic acid, a carbonate or bicarbonate alkali metal salt, preferably NaOCOCH3 or Na2CO3, to give the compound of formula II (one of X or Y is H, the other incorporate Z to form a single bond).