Process for the preparation of 2-substituted 4-hydroxy-4-methyltetrahydropyrans of the formula (I) where the radical R1 is a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an optionally alkyl-substituted cycloalkyl radical having in total 3 to 12 carbon atoms or an optionally alkyl- and/or alkoxy-substituted aryl radical having in total 6 to 12 carbon atoms, comprising the reaction of 3-methylbut-3-en-1-ol of the formula (II) with an aldehyde of the formula (III): R1-CHO, where the radical R1 has the same meaning as in formula (I) and where the reaction is carried out in the presence of water and in the presence of a strongly acidic cation exchanger, and then the isolation and/or the distillative separation is carried out in a dividing wall column or in an interconnection of (at least) two distillation columns in the form of a thermal coupling and one or more side take-off points at an absolute operating pressure of up to 500 mbar. WO2011154330A1
