Patent ID: 7230111

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula and, where appropriate, an E/Z isomer, a mixture of E/Z isomers and/or a tautomer thereof, in each case in free form or in salt form, wherein Q is CH or N; Y is NO 2 or CN; Z is CHR 3 , O, NR 3 or S; R 1 and R 2 either are each independently of the other hydrogen or C 1 -C 8 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by R 4 or together are an alkylene bridge having two or three carbon atoms which optionally contains a hetero atom selected from the group consisting of NR 5 , O and S, R 3 is H or C 1 -C 12 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by R 4 , R 4 is unsubstituted or substituted aryl or heteroaryl, and R 5 is H or C 1 -C 12 alkyl; wherein a) a compound of formula wherein X is a leaving group, is reacted with a chlorine to form a compound of formula or, where appropriate, a tautomer thereof, in each case in free form or in salt form; and b) the compound of formula (III) thereby obtained is reacted with a compound of formula wherein R 1 , R 2 , Y, Z and Q are as defined hereinbefore for the compound of formula (I); in which process the chlorination according to process step a) is performed using chlorine in the presence of SO 2 in an amount of from 1 mol % to 50 mol %, based on the starting material of formula (II).