| abstract |
A novel process for the preparation of a hydroxyphenyl ether compound of the formula <IMAGE> (I), in which R represents a radical of the formula <IMAGE> wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, haloalkyl, nitro or cyano; or R represents a heterocyclic radical which optionally carries one or more substituents selected from halogen, halogenoalkyl, alkoxy, nitro and cyano and which can contain an optionally substituted fused benzene ring, which process comprises reacting a halogen compound of the formula R-Hal (II) in which R is defined as above, and Hal is fluorine, chlorine or bromine, with a dihydroxybenzene of the formula <IMAGE> (III) in the presence of calcium hydroxide and in the presence of a polar diluent, at a temperature of from 20 DEG C. to 200 DEG C. |