Patent ID: 6939997

Claim:
A process for preparing 3(4),8(9)-dihydroxymethyltricyclo-[5.2.1.0 2,6 ]decane by hydroformylating dicyclopentadiene with subsequent hydrogenation, comprising reacting dicyclopentadiene, in a first hydroformylation stage in a heterogeneous reaction system using an aqueous solution of transition metal compounds, containing water-soluble organic phosphorous (III) compounds in a complex-bound form, of group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements at temperatures of from 70 to 150° C. and pressures of from 0.5 to 10 MPa, with synthesis gas to give 8(9)-formyltricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6 ]dec-3-ene, then separating the organic phase from the aqueous phase and subsequently converting the thus obtained 8(9)-formyltricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6 ]dec-3-ene, in a second hydroformylation stage in homogeneous organic phase in the presence of transition metal compounds of group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements at temperatures of from 70 to 140° C. and pressures of from 5 to 35 MPa by reacting with synthesis gas, to 3(4),8(9)bisformyltricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6 ]decane and subsequently hydrogenating the thus obtained 3(4),8(9)-bisformyltricyclo-[5.2.1.0 2,6 ]decane to give 3(4),8(9)-dihydroxymethyltricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6 ]decane.