The present invention provides a novel method of hydrogenating a phenol
for hydrogenating a phenol industrially advantageously. The present
invention relates, in the case of phenol hydrogenation in which carbon
dioxide is made to participate in the reaction, to a method of
hydrogenating a phenol characterized by using a supported rhodium and/or
ruthenium catalyst, whereby the phenol is hydrogenated efficiently at a
lower reaction temperature than with prior art; such a method
characterized in that carbon dioxide having a temperature of 20 to
250.degree. C. and a pressure of 0.1 to 50 MPa is used as the carbon
dioxide; and such a method characterized in that hydrogen under
conditions of a temperature of 20 to 250.degree. C. and a pressure of 0.1
to 50 MPa is used.An environmentally friendly phenol hydrogenation
process that uses no harmful organic solvents can be realized.