To obtain the subject compound in high yield by distilling crude benzyl acetate over an alkali metal compound.

Crude benzyl acetate containing 0.01-10 wt.% of impurities selected from phenyl acetate derivatives as cresyl acetate, phenol derivatives as cresol, and carboxylic acids as the total weight is distilled with heat over an alkali metal compound as sodium methoxide, for example, at 20-300°C distillation column bottom temperature at a reduced pressure of 760 mm-0.01 mm Hg. During the purification, the impurities form alkali salt from the alkali metal compound and are separated as residues whereby the impurities are reduced in the range from 1-1,000 ppm and benzyl acetate of high purity is obtained.