METHOD FOR PRODUCING OPTICALLY ACTIVE ISOPULEGOL AND OPTICALLY ACTIVE MENTHOL

摘要

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing optically active isopulegol and optically active menthol which makes it possible to reduce production expenses and minimize environment-polluting waste. The present invention makes it possible to obtain optically active isopulegol with high yield and high selectivity by: obtaining optically active citronellal by asymmetrically isomerizing geraniol and/or nerol using a specific optically active ruthenium catalyst, and performing a selective ring-closing reaction of the optically active citronellal by using an aluminum catalyst obtained by mixing an aluminum alkyl compound and a specific hydroxy compound.