Production of tricyclodecane dicarbaldehyde, pentacyclopentadecane dicarbaldehyde and corresponding dimethanols

A method of producing tricyclodecane dimethanol and/or pentacyclopentadecane dimethanol, comprising:

• a first step of hydroformylating dicyclopentadiene and/or tricyclopentadiene with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a hydroformylation solvent comprising a hydrocarbon compound in the presence of a catalyst comprising a rhodium compound and an organophosphorus compound, thereby obtaining a hydroformylation product liquid containing tricyclodecane dicarbaldehyde and/or pentacyclopentadecane dicarbaldehyde;
• a second step of mixing the hydroformylation product liquid with an extraction solvent comprising a polyhydric alcohol having 2 to 6 carbon atoms and selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 2,3-butanediol, pentanediol isomers, neopentyl glycol, hexanediol, glycerol, pentaerythritol and tetetramnethylolpropane, and allowing the resultant mixture to separate into a hydrocarbon compound layer and an extraction solvent layer, thereby transferring the tricyclodecane dicarbaldehyde and/or pentacyclopentadecane dicarbaldehyde into the extraction solvent layer while retaining the catalyst components in the hydrocarbon compound layer;
• and
• a third step of subjecting the extraction solvent layer obtained in the second step to catalytic hydrogenation, thereby converting the tricyclodecane dicarbaldehyde and/or pentacyclopentadecane dicarbaldehyde into corresponding tricyclodecane dimethanol and/or pentacyclopentadecane dimethanol.