| abstract |
A process for preparing N-substituted imidazoles of the formula I ##STR1## where R 1 is C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkynyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkoxyalkyl, C 3 -C 20 -alkenyloxyalkyl, C 3 -C 12 -cycloalkyl, C 4 -C 20 -cycloalkylalkyl, or C 7 -C 20 -arylalkyl or aryl which is unsubstituted or substituted by C 1 -C 8 -alkyl, C 1 -C 8 -alkoxy, halogen, C 1 -C 4 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 -haloalkoxy or phenoxy, n R 2 , and R 4 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 2 -C 20 -alkoxyalkyl, C 3 -C 12 -cycloalkyl, halogen, C 7 -C 20 -arylalkyl or aryl which is unsubstituted or substituted by C 1 -C 8 -alkyl, C 1 -C 8 -alkoxy, halogen, C 1 -C 4 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 -haloalkoxy or phenoxy, or R 3 and R 4 together form (CH 2 ) n or (CH=CH) m which is unsubstituted or mono- or disubstituted by C 1 -C 8 -alkyl, C 1 -C 8 -alkoxy and/or halogen and in which n is from 1 to 6 and m is from 1 to 3, n by reacting imidazoles of the formula II ##STR2## where R 2 , R 3 and R 4 have the abovementioned meanings, with halides of the formula III n n R.sup.1 --X (III), n n where X is chlorine, bromine or iodine, and R 1 has the abovementioned meanings, in aqueous hydroxide solutions at from 0° to 100° C., wherein the reaction is carried out from the beginning of the reaction in the presence of from 0.1 to 50 mol % of any N-substituted imidazole as a catalyst based on the imidazole reactant II. |