To produce the subject compound utilzable as an optical material excellent in heat and moisture resistances and transparency and useful as an additive for general-purpose resins, various structural material resins, etc., by hydrolyzing a specific alkyl alicyclic carboxylate in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide at a specified temperature.
An alkyl alicyclic carboxylate comprising an isomeric mixture of an alkyl alicyclic endo-carboxylate represented by the formula (R is an alkyl) with an alkyl alicyclic exa-carboxylate is hydrolyzed in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide at 0-120°C for preferably 2-10 h to selectively hydrolyze and convert the alkyl alicyclic exo-carboxylate into an alicylic exo- carboxylic acid. Furthermore, the resultant alicyclic exo-carboxylic acid is then separated from the mixture of the alicyclic exo-carboxylic acid with the unreacted alkyl alicyclic endo-carboxylate to thereby afford the single isomer of the alicyclic compound.
KOBAYASHI HIDEKI
TSUNO TAKAHARU