A process suitable for safely mass-producing, through a short step, cyclic compounds useful in medicines, agricultural chemicals, foods, cosmetics, and chemical products or as intermediates therefor. The process, which is for producing a compound represented by the formula: {wherein Z represents an electron-attracting group; W represents optionally substituted ethylene or optionally substituted vinylene; R3 represents hydrogen or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group; and X represents a divalent group [provided that when W represents optionally substituted vinylene, then —X—CH2—Z is not —X1—X2—CH2—Z (wherein X1 represents sulfur or optionally substituted nitrogen and X2 represents optionally substituted ethylene)]} or a salt thereof, is characterized by subjecting a compound represented by the formula (II) or a salt thereof: (wherein the symbols have the same meanings as the above) to a ring closure reaction in a solvent containing a carbonic diester.