PRODUCTION METHOD OF HETEROCYCLIC MERCAPTO COMPOUND

A method of the invention industrially produces heterocyclic mercapto compounds useful as raw materials or intermediates in the synthesis of medicaments or pesticides, or as permanent wave agent, with a high yield and high productivity using easily available starting materials. A heterocyclic mercapto compound represented by Formula (1) (wherein X represents any structure of -O-, -S-, -NH-, and -NR1-; R1 represents any of an alkyl group, alkoxy group and alkoxyalkyl group each having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; Y represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or -NR2-; R2 represents a hydrogen atom or alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and Z1 represents a divalent organic residue having at least one mercapto group) is produced by reacting a metal sulfide or a metal hydrosulfide with a compound represented by Formula (2) (wherein X and Y are as defined in Formula (1); and Z2 represents a divalent organic residue having at least one halogen group) in the presence of a solvent at a pH of 7.0 to 11.0.