Patent ID: 7579485

Claim:
A method for producing a γ-butyrolactone, which comprises: reacting a 4-halo-butylamide of Formula (II): wherein X represents a halogen atom, and R 1 to R 6 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or any desired substituent, with an aqueous medium at a pH of 2 to 4.5 to give a γ-butyrolactone of Formula (III): wherein R 1 to R 6 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or any desired substituent, and wherein the 4-halo-butylamide of Formula (II) is a 4-halo-3-hydroxybutylamide; or wherein the 4-halo-butylamide of Formula (II) is produced by nitrile hydratase treatment of a 4-halo-butyronitrile having Formula (IV): wherein X represents a halogen atom, and R 1 to R 6 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or any desired substituent.