Process for the production of halogen-substituted 1.2.4-triazoles

The invention comprises the novel compounds 3,N-dichloro-1,2,4-triazole and 3,5,N-tribromo-1,2,4-triazole, and also a process for preparing halogen-substituted 1,2,4-triazoles of the general formula where R3 is chlorine, and R5 and RN are each hydrogen or chlorine, or, R3 is bromine, and R5 and RN are each hydrogen or bromine, which comprises reacting 1,2,4-triazole with chlorine or bromine in an aqueous alkaline solution at a temperature between - 10 DEG C. and +100 DEG C., preferably in the presence of a water-immiscible organic solvent. In a modification, the reaction with bromine is carried out by adding an alkali bromide and introducing chlorine.