Process for the production of alkylene glycols

A process for the production of substituted or unsubstituted ethylene glycols, which comprises causing a corresponding substituted or unsubstituted ethylene carbonate of the formula ##STR3## wherein, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 each denote a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms or a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, to react with water in the presence of a catalyst of at least one member selected from the group consisting of molybdenum and tungsten in metal or compound form.