Chemical processes

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) wherein: R1 represents C1-4 haloalkyl, fluorine, chlorine or bromine; and R2 represents hydrogen or C1-4 alkoxy; which process comprises the reaction of the corresponding ortho-nitrohalobenzene of formula (II): wherein R1 and R2 are as hereinbefore defined and X represents a fluorine or bromine atom, with, when X represents a fluorine atom: (a) an alkali metal cyanide, in a non aqueous solvent, optionally in the presence of a catalyst; or when X represents a bromine atom: (b) cuprous cyanide, in a non aqueous solvent, optionally in the presence of a catalyst selected from an alkali metal bromide or an alkaline earth metal bromide; or (c) an alkali metal cyanide, in a non aqueous solvent, in the presence of a catalytic amount of cuprous cyanide and a phase transfer catalyst.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.