To produce an aromatic hydroxy compound which is useful as a raw material or an intermediate for a variety of organic chemicals, for example, microbicidal agents, chelating agents and photography developing agents in high selectivity in no use of an expensive raw material.

An aromatic hydroxy compound (for example, phenol, cresol or catechol) is produced by photooxidation of an aromatic compound (for example, benzene) in the presence of a catalyst comprising porous metallosilicate and titanium dioxide, preferably by photooxidizing ≤2mol/L of an aromatic compound, for example, benzene, using oxygen. The amount of the catalyst used in the reaction is preferably 0.2-100mg per 1cc of the solvent. In the photoirradiation, a mercury lamp, a xenon discharge tube or other ultraviolet light sources can be utilized, and the light of wavelength of ≤320nm is preferably cut off by using a UV filter.