A di(aminomethyl)-substituted aromatic compound is produced by a two-stage
hydrogenation. In the first stage, an aromatic dinitrile is hydrogenated
into a cyano(aminomethyl)-substituted aromatic compound in the presence
of a Pd-containing catalyst. The resultant cyano(aminomethyl)-substituted
aromatic compound is then hydrogenated in the second stage into the
target di(aminomethyl)-substituted aromatic compound in the presence of a
Ni- and/or Co-containing catalyst. By the above method, the
di(aminomethyl)-substituted aromatic compound is produced in a high
selectivity and a sufficiently high yield without reducing the catalyst
life.