PURPOSE: To produce ketones from secondary alcohols by dehydrogenation reaction with a catalyst of high reaction activity, high selectivity to ketones and thermally stable structure.

CONSTITUTION: Hectorite or hectorite exchanged with ion, preferably alkali metal ion, particularly cesium ion is used as a catalyst to subject a secondary alcohol such as 2-propanol to dehydrogenation reaction at 300 to 600°C, preferably at 350 to 500°C to give a ketone such as acetone. The amount of ion exchange in the hectorite is suitably over 30%, preferably over 50%, based on the ion exchange capacity of the hectorite.