CPC C07C 253/30 (2013.01) | 7 Claims |
1. A process for producing 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile comprising
a) cyanating 1,2-dichloro-3-nitro benzene in the presence of a catalytic amount of an aprotic amide to obtain 2-chloro-6-nitrobenzonitrile, wherein step a) is carried out in presence of sodium cyanide and copper cyanide, or sodium cyanide and copper chloride, or a mixture of sodium cyanide, copper chloride and copper cyanide, and
b) de-nitrochlorinating 2-chloro-6-nitrobenzonitrile with chlorine gas to obtain 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile, wherein step (b) is performed for 5 to 15 hours without solvent and a molar ratio of 2-chloro-6-nitrobenzonitrile to chlorine gas is from 1:1 to 1:5.
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