摘要 |
A process for producing hydroxydiaryl ethers of the formula <IMAGE> wherein R represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or chlorine, n represents 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, and X represents a phenyl group of the formula <IMAGE> or a 2-pyridinyl group or a 4-pyridinyl group of the formulae <IMAGE> wherein R1, R2 and R3 each represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms (which may be mono- or disubstituted by halogen), phenyl, halogen, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, trifluoromethyl, nitro, cyano or benzoyl, R4 and R5 each represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or phenyl, and R6 has all the meanings given, with the exception of halogen, for R1, R2 and R3 comprises reacting a diether of the formula <IMAGE> wherein R, n and X have the meanings given above, in a polar aprotic solvent, in the presence of 0.1 to 1 mole of alkali per mole of diether of the above formula, with a dihydroxybenzene of the formula <IMAGE> wherein R and n have the meanings given above. The hydroxydiaryl ethers of the above formula can be used as intermediates for the production of alpha -(phenoxy- phenoxy)-alkanecarboxylic acid derivatives and alpha -(pyridyloxy- phenoxy)-alkane carboxylic acid derivatives, which have a herbicidal and plant-growth-regulating action. |