A method of preparing a compound of Formula C: wherein each R 1, R 2, and R 3 is independently H, SF 5, N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), C(=S)N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), SO 2 N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), OSO 2 (C 1 -C 8 alkyl), OSO 2 N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)SO 2 (C 1 -C 8 alkyl), or C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, C 2 -C 8 alkynyl, C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 10 halocycloalkyl, C 4 -C 10 alkylcycloalkyl, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkyl, C 6 -C 14 cycloalkylcycloalkyl, C 5 -C 10 alkylcycloalkylalkyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkenyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkoxy, C 3 -C 8 halocycloalkoxy, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkoxy, C 2 -C 8 alkenyloxy, C 2 -C 8 alkynyloxy, C 1 -C 8 alkylthio, C 1 -C 8 alkylsulfinyl, C 1 -C 8 alkylsulfonyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkylthio, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkylsulfinyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkylsulfonyl, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkylthio, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkylsulfinyl, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkylsulfonyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenylthio, C 2 -C 8 alkenylsulfinyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenylsulfonyl, C 2 -C 8 alkynylthio, C 2 -C 8 alkynylsulfinyl, C 2 -C 8 alkynylsulfonyl, or phenyl; or two of R 1, R 2, and R 3 on adjacent ring atoms may be taken together to form a 5- to 7- membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, each ring containing ring members selected from carbon atoms and up to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from up to 2 O, up to 2 S, and up to 3 N, wherein up to 2 carbon atom ring members are independently selected from C(=O) and C(=S) and such ring is optionally substituted with up to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 2 -C 4 alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 haloalkenyl, C 2 -C 4 alkynyl, C 2 -C 4 haloalkynyl, C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 7 halocycloalkyl, C 4 -C 8 alkylcycloalkyl, C 4 -C 8 haloalkylcycloalkyl, C 4 -C 8 cycloalkylalkyl, C 4 -C 8 halocycloalkylalkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy, C 2 -C 8 alkoxycarbonyl, C 2 -C 6 haloalkoxycarbonyl, C 2 -C 6 alkylcarbonyl and C 2 -C 6 haloalkylcarbonyl; and M is an inorganic cation or organic cation; comprising: (a) contacting a compound of Formula A with a solvent selected from o -dichlorobenzene (ODCB), chloroalkanes, and chloroarenes, and a first acid selected from sulfonic acids, sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4), and oleum to form a compound of Formula B: and (b) contacting the compound of Formula B with (i) a nitrite salt MNO 2 or nitrite ester and (ii) a second acid selected from at least one inorganic acid, at least one organic acid, or mixtures thereof to form a compound of Formula C: wherein each R 1, R 2, and R 3 is independently H, SF 5, N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), C(=S)N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), SO 2 N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), OSO 2 (C 1 -C 8 alkyl), OSO 2 N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)(C 1 -C 8 alkyl), N(C 1 -C 8 alkyl)SO 2 (C 1 -C 8 alkyl), or C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, C 2 -C 8 alkynyl, C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 10 halocycloalkyl, C 4 -C 10 alkylcycloalkyl, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkyl, C 6 -C 14 cycloalkylcycloalkyl, C 5 -C 10 alkylcycloalkylalkyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkenyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkoxy, C 3 -C 8 halocycloalkoxy, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkoxy, C 2 -C 8 alkenyloxy, C 2 -C 8 alkynyloxy, C 1 -C 8 alkylthio, C 1 -C 8 alkylsulfinyl, C 1 -C 8 alkylsulfonyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkylthio, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkylsulfinyl, C 3 -C 8 cycloalkylsulfonyl, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkylthio, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkylsulfinyl, C 4 -C 10 cycloalkylalkylsulfonyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenylthio, C 2 -C 8 alkenylsulfinyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenylsulfonyl, C 2 -C 8 alkynylthio, C 2 -C 8 alkynylsulfinyl, C 2 -C 8 alkynylsulfonyl, or phenyl; or two of R 1, R 2, and R 3 on adjacent ring atoms may be taken together to form a 5- to 7- membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, each ring containing ring members selected from carbon atoms and up to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from up to 2 O, up to 2 S, and up to 3 N, wherein up to 2 carbon atom ring members are independently selected from C(=O) and C(=S) and such ring is optionally substituted with up to 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 2 -C 4 alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 haloalkenyl, C 2 -C 4 alkynyl, C 2 -C 4 haloalkynyl, C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 7 halocycloalkyl, C 4 -C 8 alkylcycloalkyl, C 4 -C 8 haloalkylcycloalkyl, C 4 -C 8 cycloalkylalkyl, C 4 -C 8 halocycloalkylalkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy, C 2 -C 8 alkoxycarbonyl, C 2 -C 6 haloalkoxycarbonyl, C 2 -C 6 alkylcarbonyl and C 2 -C 6 haloalkylcarbonyl; and M is an inorganic cation or organic cation; comprising: (a) contacting a compound of Formula A with a solvent selected from o -dichlorobenzene (ODCB), chloroalkanes, and chloroarenes, and a first acid selected from sulfonic acids, sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4), and oleum to form a compound of Formula B: and (b) contacting the compound of Formula B with (i) a nitrite salt MNO 2 or nitrite ester and (ii) a second acid selected from at least one inorganic acid, at least one organic acid, or mixtures thereof to form a compound of Formula C: (a) contacting a compound of Formula A with a solvent selected from o -dichlorobenzene (ODCB), chloroalkanes, and chloroarenes, and a first acid selected from sulfonic acids, sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4), and oleum to form a compound of Formula B: and (b) contacting the compound of Formula B with (i) a nitrite salt MNO 2 or nitrite ester and (ii) a second acid selected from at least one inorganic acid, at least one organic acid, or mixtures thereof to form a compound of Formula C: