The present invention provides a new bis(tetrahydrofuran) compound having an excellent neurotrophic factor activity-enhancing effect, and a process for producing the same. The bis(tetrahydrofuran) compound of the present invention is represented by formula (1): wherein R 1 and R 2 are the same or different, and represent a C 1-4 alkyl group, a C 1-5 alkoxy group, an aryl C 1-5 alkoxy group, a C 2-5 alkenyloxy group, or an aryl C 2-5 alkenyloxy group, or R 1 and R 2 together represent =O or =CH 2 R 3 represents a hydrogen atom or a group -CH 2 -O-R 4 R 4 represents a C 1-4 alkyl group, a C 1-5 alkylcarbonyl group, or an aryl C 1-4 alkyl group that may have a substituent on an aryl ring and a carbon-carbon bond between "a" and "b" represents a single bond or a double bond. The bis(tetrahydrofuran) compound has an excellent neurotrophic factor activity-enhancing effect.本發明係提供一種具有優異神經營養因子作用之増強效果之新穎的雙四氫呋喃化合物及其製造方法。本發明之雙四氫呋喃化合物係以通式(1)表示,而具有優異的神經營養因子作用増強效果:〔式中,R1及R2係相同或相異,表示C1-4烷基、C1-5烷氧基、芳基C1-5烷氧基、C2-5烯氧基或芳基C2-5烯氧基,或者R1與R2合在一起表示=O或=CH2。R3表示氫原子或基團-CH2-O-R4。R4表示C1-4烷基、C1-5烷基羰基或於芳香環上具有取代基的芳基C1-4烷基。a與b之碳-碳鍵表示單鍵或雙鍵。〕
