Method for producing composition

A method for producing a composition, the method comprising:

• preparing a raw material composition containing one or two or more compounds selected from a compound group represented by general formula (I),
• (in the general formula (I), R1 represents a linear alkyl group or branched alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, one or two or more —CH2— in the alkyl group may be substituted by —O—, —CH═CH—, —CO—, —OCO—, —COO—, —C≡C—, —CF2O—, or —OCF2— so that oxygen atoms are not directly adjacent to each other,
• a represents 0, 1, or 2,
• M1 represents a group selected from the group consisting of
• (a) a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group (one —CH2— or two or more nonadjacent —CH2— present in the group may be substituted by —O— or —S—),
• (b) a 1,4-phenylene group (one —CH═ or two or more nonadjacent —CH═ present in the group may be substituted by —N═), and
• (c) a 1,4-bicyclo(2.2.2)octylene group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a decahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, or a chromane-2,6-diyl group, one or two or more hydrogen atoms contained in the group (a), group (b), or group (c) may be each substituted by a fluorine atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethoxy group, or a chlorine atom, and when a represents 2 and a plurality of M1 are present, the plurality of M1 present may be the same or different,
• Z1 represents a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —CH═CH—, —C≡C—, —CH2O—, —OCH2—, —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —COO—, or —OCO—, and when a represents 2 and a plurality of Z1 are present, the plurality of Z1 present may be the same or different) and general formula (III),
• (in the general formula (III), M2 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms (one or two or more —CH2— in the alkylene group may be substituted by —O—, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —CF2—, —CH═CH—, —C≡C—, a 1,4-phenylene group (one or two or more hydrogen atoms in the 1,4-phenylene group may be substituted by a fluorine atom), or a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group so that oxygen atoms are not directly adjacent to each other) or a single bond), the raw material composition further containing one or two or more compounds selected from a compound group represented by general formula (II),
• (in the general formula (II), R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or an alkenyloxy group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms,
• b represents 1, 2, 3, or 4,
• A1 and A2 each independently represent a group selected from the group consisting of
• (a) a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group (one —CH2— or two or more nonadjacent —CH2— present in the group may be substituted by —O— or —S—),
• (b) a 1,4-phenylene group (one —CH═ or two or more nonadjacent —CH═ present in the group may be substituted by —N═), and
• (c) a 1,4-bicyclo(2.2.2)octylene group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a decahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, or a chromane-2,6-diyl group, one or two or more hydrogen atoms contained in the group (a), group (b), or group (c) may be each substituted by a fluorine atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethoxy group, or a chlorine atom, and when b represents 2, 3, or 4 and a plurality of A1 are present, the plurality of A1 present may be the same or different,
• Z2 represents a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —CH═CH—, —C≡C—, —CH2O—, —OCH2—, —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —COO—, or —OCO—, and when b represents 2, 3, or 4 and a plurality of Z2 are present, the plurality of Z2 present may be the same or different, and
• Y1 represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethoxy group, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an alkenyloxy group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms);
• bringing the raw material composition into contact with a purifying agent composed of one or a mixture of silica gel, alumina, and an ion exchange resin after dissolving the raw material composition in an organic solvent or without adding an organic solvent to the raw material composition, and then removing the purifying agent;
• and
• when a composition after the purifying agent is removed does not contain the organic solvent, providing the composition as a target composition, and when the composition after the purifying agent is removed contains the organic solvent, distilling off the organic solvent to provide a target composition.