Patent ID: 7939695

Claim:
A process for preparing nucleus-halogenated methylbenzyl alcohol represented by the following formula (II), comprising hydrogenating nucleus-halogenated benzene dicarbaldehyde represented by the following formula (I); wherein m is an integer of 0 to 3, and n is an integer of 1 to 4, with the proviso that m+n is an integer of 1 to 4, wherein m and n are the same as those in the formula (I), wherein the hydrogenation reaction is carried out in the presence of a sponge cobalt-based catalyst, wherein the hydrogenation reaction is carried out in two steps, in which a reaction temperature of the second step is higher than a reaction temperature of the first step, and both the reaction temperatures of the first and the second steps are not lower than the temperature at which the nucleus-halogenated benzene dicarbaldehyde is melted or dissolved in a solvent and not higher than 250° C.