Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft

Andrew J Beaumont

James Hanley Clark

Nubia Boechat

A process for the preparation of chlorinated and fluorinated benzene compounds of the general formula (1) ##STR1## in which R denotes --CN or --COOalkyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6), and X and Y each denote chlorine or fluorine, X and Y being not identical, by fluorodenitration, which comprises reacting a compound of the formula (2) ##STR2## in which R is defined as above, and X' and Y' each denote chlorine or nitro, X' and Y' being nor identical, with potassium fluoride in a dipolar aprotic solvent in the presence of a transfer catalyst at a temperature from about 50.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C.

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Morland Penrith, South Africa

Andrew J Beaumont