Method for producing halogen-substituted benzenedimethanol

A method for producing a halogen-substituted benzenedimethanol represented by the formula (2):

• wherein X1 to X4 are the same or different and independently represent a hydrogen or halogen atom, provided that at least one of X1 to X4 is a halogen atom,
• by reacting a halogen-substituted terephthalic acid diester represented by the formula (1):
• wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and independently represent an optionally substituted C1-C20 alkyl group and the substituent of the alkyl group is a fluorine atom;
• a C1-C20 alkoxy group which is optionally substituted with a halogen atom or atoms;
• a C6-C20 aryl group which is optionally substituted with a C1-C6 alkoxy group or groups;
• a C6-C20 aryloxy group which is optionally substituted with a C1-C6 alkoxy group or groups or phenoxy group or groups;
• or a C7-C20 aralkyloxy group which is optionally substituted with a C1-C6 alkoxy group or groups or phenoxy group or groups, and X1 to X4 is the same as defined above,
• with a borohydride compound in the presence of an alcohol which comprises adding the alcohol into a mixture of the halogen-substituted terephthalic acid diester represented by the formula (1), the borohydride compound and a solvent.