Process for the preparation of ortho-amides

A process for the preparation of an ortho-amide of the formula ##STR11## in which R.sup.1 denotes straight-chain or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkoxyalkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -alkoxyalkenyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkylene-OM.sup.1 or C.sub.7 -C.sub.10 -aralkyl,

• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, independently of one another, represent straight-chain or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 -alkoxyalkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -alkoxyalkenyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 -aryl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.10 -aralkyl, or a 5- to 8-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring containing 1 or 2 hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O and S, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, together with the N atom which they substitute, form a 5- to 8-membered ring which can contain a further hetero atom selected from the group consisting of N, O and S, and
• R.sup.4 represents --OR.sup.5 or --N(R.sup.5,R.sup.6) in which R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, independently of one another and independently of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, have the range of meanings mentioned in the case of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3,
• which comprises maintaining an alcohol solution of an alcoholate of the formula
• M.sup.1 OR.sup.1
• in which
• M.sup.1 is an equivalent of an alkali metal cation or alkaline earth metal cation,
• at a temperature of 120.degree. to 200.degree. C. in a high boiling non-solvent selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon, a halogenated, nitro, or cyano hydrocarbon, an ether and a silicon oil, distilling off the entire alcohol and alcohol of crystallization, thereby to place the alcoholate in highly active form, and reacting such highly active alcoholate with a salt of the formula ##STR12## in which X.sup..crclbar. is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkylsulphate, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 -arylsulphonate, tetrafluoroboranate, C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 -arylsulphate, chloride, bromide, iodide, hexafluorophosphate, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkylsulphonate, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -halogenoalkylsulphonate, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -halogenoalkylsulphate, perchlorate or hexachloroantimonate anion.