Abstract: In order to make it possible to produce 6-methylheptan-2-one, which is useful as a material for synthesizing isophytol or as a material for synthesizing fragrances such as tetrahydrolinalool and dihydrogeraniol, efficiently and in an industrially simple manner, isovaleral and acetone are subjected to aldol condensation in the presence of a basic substance to form a condensate which contains 4-hydroxy-6-methylheptan-2-one, and then the condensate is subjected to hydrogenation reaction under a dehydration condition to obtain the 6-methylheptan-2-one.

Abstract: A compound that can be converted, at a low cost and in a simple way, into 2-aryl-1,3-propanediols serving as precursors for synthesizing felbamate acting as an antiepileptic has a structure represented by Formula (1): ##STR1## wherein Ar represents an aryl group; R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or is R.sup.4 or R.sup.5, where R.sup.4 represents an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and R.sup.5 represents a hydroxy group or an acyloxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are hydrogen atoms at the same time or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together form a group represented by Formula (2): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 together form an oligomethylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms.