PRODUCTION OF ARYLBENZOIC ACID

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a compound useful e.g. as an intermediate raw material for fine chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and liquid crystals on an industrial scale at a low cost by hydrolyzing an arylbenzonitrile in the presence of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide. SOLUTION: The objective arylbenzoic acid expressed by the formula II and useful e.g. as an intermediate raw material for fine chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and liquid crystals is produced on an industrial scale at a low cost by hydrolyzing an arylbenzonitrile expressed by the formula I [the ring A is a benzene ring which may have fluorine, a (substituted) alkyl, a (substituted) alkoxy, nitro, carboxyl or hydroxyl group] (e.g. biphenyl-2- carbonitrile) in a solvent (e.g. methanol) in the presence of at least one kind of a metal hydroxide expressed by the formula M(OH)n (M is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal; (n) is 1 when M is an alkali metal and is 2 when M is an alkaline earth metal) (e.g. sodium hydroxide).