Process for the preparation of a 2-chloromethyl-aniline compound of formula I, wherein: n is 0, 1, 2 or 3, each R 1 is independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 1 -C 4 -haloalkoxy, comprising the following steps: (a) reacting a benzylbromide compound of formula II with a secondary amine of formula III, wherein: n and R 1 are as defined for formula I, X is NO 2 or the moiety X 1, R 2 and R 3 are each independently of the other selected from C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkoxyalkyl, C 3 -C 8 -cycloalkyl, phenyl and benzyl, wherein the phenyl moieties of the last two radicals mentioned may or may not carry 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl and C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, or R 2 and R 3 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound form an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring that in addition to nitrogen may also contain a further heteroatom O, S or N, to obtain a benzylamine compound of formula IV, wherein X, n, R 1, R 2 and R 3 are as defined herein before, (b) if appropriate, converting the benzylamine compound of formula IV, wherein X is NO 2, to a benzylamine compound of formula IV with X being the moiety X 1, and (c) reacting the benzylamine compound of formula IV, wherein X is the moiety X 1, with an acyl chloride of formula V, wherein: R 4 is selected from C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkoxy, C 2 -C 6 -alkenoxy, C 2 -C 6 -haloalkenoxy, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -haloalkenyl, benzyl, phenyl and benzoxy wherein the phenyl moieties of the last three radicals mentioned may or may not carry 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl and C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, to obtain the 2-chloromethyl-aniline compound of formula I. n is 0, 1, 2 or 3, each R 1 is independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 1 -C 4 -haloalkoxy, (a) reacting a benzylbromide compound of formula II with a secondary amine of formula III, wherein: n and R 1 are as defined for formula I, X is NO 2 or the moiety X 1, R 2 and R 3 are each independently of the other selected from C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkoxyalkyl, C 3 -C 8 -cycloalkyl, phenyl and benzyl, wherein the phenyl moieties of the last two radicals mentioned may or may not carry 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl and C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, or R 2 and R 3 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound form an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring that in addition to nitrogen may also contain a further heteroatom O, S or N, to obtain a benzylamine compound of formula IV, wherein X, n, R 1, R 2 and R 3 are as defined herein before, n and R 1 are as defined for formula I, X is NO 2 or the moiety X 1, R 2 and R 3 are each independently of the other selected from C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkoxyalkyl, C 3 -C 8 -cycloalkyl, phenyl and benzyl, wherein the phenyl moieties of the last two radicals mentioned may or may not carry 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl and C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, or R 2 and R 3 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound form an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring that in addition to nitrogen may also contain a further heteroatom O, S or N, (b) if appropriate, converting the benzylamine compound of formula IV, wherein X is NO 2, to a benzylamine compound of formula IV with X being the moiety X 1, and (c) reacting the benzylamine compound of formula IV, wherein X is the moiety X 1, with an acyl chloride of formula V, wherein: R 4 is selected from C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkoxy, C 2 -C 6 -alkenoxy, C 2 -C 6 -haloalkenoxy, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -haloalkenyl, benzyl, phenyl and benzoxy wherein the phenyl moieties of the last three radicals mentioned may or may not carry 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl and C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, to obtain the 2-chloromethyl-aniline compound of formula I. R 4 is selected from C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkoxy, C 2 -C 6 -alkenoxy, C 2 -C 6 -haloalkenoxy, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -haloalkenyl, benzyl, phenyl and benzoxy wherein the phenyl moieties of the last three radicals mentioned may or may not carry 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl and C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy,