Process for preparing chloro- and bromoaromatics

1. A process for preparing a compound of formula (II)

in which

X is chlorine or bromine,

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are the same or different and are independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, optionally substituted C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl or C 4 -C 6 -cycloalkenyl, C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkoxy, optionally substituted phenyl, phenoxy, heterocyclyl or hetaryl, or cyano, C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino or di(C 1 -C 6 -alkyl)amino,

R 4 is halogen, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, optionally substituted C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl or C 4 -C 6 -cycloalkenyl, C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkoxy, optionally substituted phenyl, phenoxy, heterocyclyl or hetaryl, or cyano, C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino or di(C 1 -C 6 -alkyl)amino, and

n is 0, 1 or 2, characterized in that a compound of the formula (I):

in which R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and n are each as defined above,

is diazotized by means of sodium nitrite or potassium nitrite in the presence of aqueous hydrochloric acid or hydrobromic acid, and then converted by addition of a substoichiometric amount of an iron(II) or iron(III) compound and optionally additional amounts of hydrogen chloride or hydrogen bromide or an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chloride or bromide.

2. The process for preparing the compound of formula (II) according to claim 1 , in which

X is chlorine or bromine,

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are the same or different and are independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, optionally substituted C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl or C 4 -C 6 -cycloalkenyl, C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkoxy, optionally substituted phenyl, phenoxy, heterocyclyl or hetaryl, or cyano, C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino or di(C 1 -C 6 -alkyl)amino,

R 4 is halogen, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, optionally substituted C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl or C 4 -C 6 -cycloalkenyl, C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkoxy, optionally substituted phenyl, phenoxy, heterocyclyl or hetaryl, or cyano, C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino or di(C 1 -C 6 -alkyl)amino, and n is 0 or 1.

3. The process for preparing the compound of formula (II) according to claim 1 , in which

X is chlorine or bromine,

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are the same or different and are independently hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkynyl, optionally substituted cyclopropyl or cyclopentyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, optionally substituted phenyl or phenoxy, or cyano,

R 4 is fluorine, chlorine, bromine, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkynyl, optionally substituted cyclopropyl or cyclopentyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, optionally substituted phenyl or phenoxy, or cyano, and

n is 0.

4. The process for preparing the compound of formula (II) according to claim 1 , in which

X is chlorine or bromine,

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are the same or different and are independently hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, methyl, ethyl, i-propyl, n-propyl or cyclopropyl,

R 4 is chlorine, bromine, methyl, ethyl, i-propyl, n-propyl or cyclopropyl, and

n is 0 or 1.

5. The process for preparing the compound of formula (II) according to claim 1 , in which

X is chlorine or bromine,

R 1 is C 1 -C 4 -alkyl,

R 2 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl or halogen,

R 3 is hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, and

n is 0.

6. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the iron(II) or iron(III) compound is used in amounts of 0.01 to 1 mol per mole of aniline of the formula (I).

7. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the iron(II) or iron(III) compound is used in amounts of 0.05 to 0.75 mol per mole of aniline of the formula (I).

8. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that the iron compound used is iron(II) sulphate, iron(III) sulphate, iron(II) chloride, iron(III) chloride, iron(II) bromide, iron(III) bromide, iron(II) fluoride, iron(III) fluoride, iron(II) acetate, iron(II) propionate, iron(II) stearate, iron(II) sulphamate, iron(II) oxalate, iron(III) oxalate, iron(III) citrate, iron(II) gluconate, iron(II) acetylacetonate, iron(III) acetylacetonate, iron(III) nitrate, iron(III) phosphate, ammonium iron(II) sulphate, ammonium iron(III) sulphate, iron(II,III) oxide, iron(III) oxide or, where they exist, the particular hydrates thereof.

9. The process according to claim 8 , characterized in that the iron compound used is iron(II) sulphate, iron(III) sulphate, iron(II) chloride, iron(II) chloride, iron(II) bromide, iron(III) bromide or, where they exist, the particular hydrates thereof.

10. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chloride or bromide is used in the second step.

11. The process according to claim 10 , characterized in that lithium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, lithium bromide, sodium bromide, potassium bromide or magnesium bromide is used.

12. The process according to claim 1 , characterized in that hydrogen chloride or hydrogen bromide is used in the second step.

13. The process according to any one of claim 1 to 5 or 6 - 12 , wherein copper salts are not used.