| abstract |
A process for producing 3,5-difluoroaniline, which comprises reacting a benzonitrile compound of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein each of X 1 , X 2 and X 3 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or a cyano group, provided that at least one of X 1 to X 3 is a cyano group, with a mineral acid for hydrolysis and decarboxylation to obtain an aniline compound of the formula (II): ##STR2## wherein each of X 4 , X 5 and X 6 is hydrogen, chlorine or bromine, provided that at least one of X 4 to X 6 is hydrogen, and in the case of a compound of the formula (II) wherein X 4 , X 5 and X 6 are not simultaneously hydrogen, reacting such a compound with hydrogen in a presence of a catalyst for reduction to obtain 3,5 -difluoroaniline. |