The invention provides a diphenol represented by the general formula (I)
1
wherein X is a divalent cyclic hydrocarbon group selected from 1-cyclohexene-1,4-ylene group, 1,4-cyclohexylene group and p-phenylene group, R is an alkyl group of 1-4 carbon atoms, n is 0 or an integer of 1-3 when X is 1-cyclohexene-1,4-ylene group and an integer of 1-3 when X is 1,4-cyclohexylene group or p-phenylene group. The invention further provides a process for the production of the same.
A process for producing an epoxy compound represented by the formula (3):
wherein Ar
1
, Ar
2
, Ar
3
, R
1
, R
2
, R
3
, Q
1
and Q
2
are as defined below, which comprises reacting a dihydroxy compound represented by the formula (1):
HO-Q
1
-Ar
1
—Ar
2
—Ar
3
-Q
1
-OH (1)
wherein Q
1
denotes a single bond, Ar
1
, Ar
2
and Ar
3
each denotes any one of divalent groups represented by the following formulas:
and a compound represented by the formula (2):
wherein R
1
, R
2
and R
3
denote hydrogen atom, Q
2
denotes a straight-chain alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and X denotes halogen atom, in the presence of at least one selected from the group consisting of an amine compound and an ammonium salt, and further reacting the obtained reaction mixture and an inorganic base by mixing.