FIELD: chemical industry. SUBSTANCE: 1-benzyl-3-hydroxymethylindazole of the formula: A-CH2-O-CRR′-COOR′′′(1) (1) wherein A is 1-benzylindazol-3-yl; R,R′ are the same or different H or CH3; R″-H is H or a residue of saturated aliphatic C1-C3-alcohol, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, if R′′′-H is H. Reagent 1: a compound of the formula: A-CH2-OH. Reagent 2: an alkali metal or a derivative thereof. Reaction conditions: the alsoholate thus formed of the formula: A-CH2-OMe is treated with a compound of the formula: X-CRR′-COOR′′′ wherein X is halogen, followed optionally by hydrolysis of the compound 1 in which R′′′ is a residue of saturated aliphatic C1-C3-alcohol to obtain compound 1 in which R′′′-H is H and by conversion thereof into a salt. EFFECT: more efficient preparation process. 1 tbl
