JP2971173B

Process for the preparation of N-substituted imidazoles of the general formula I in which the substituents R denotes C1- to C20-alkyl, C2- to C20-alkenyl, C2- to C20-alkynyl, C2- to C20-alkoxyalkyl, C3- to C20-alkenyloxyalkyl, C3- to C12-cycloalkyl, C4- to C20-cycloalkylalkyl, aryl which is unsubstituted or substituted by C1- to C8-alkyl, C1- to C8-alkoxy, halogen, C1- to C4-haloalkyl, C1- to C4-haloalkoxy or phenoxy or denotes C7- to C20-arylalkyl, the substituents R , R , R , independently of one another, denote hydrogen, C1- to C20-alkyl, C2- to C20-alkoxyalkyl, C3- to C12-cycloalkyl, halogen, aryl which is unsubstituted or substituted by C1- to C8-alkyl, C1- to C8-alkoxy, halogen, C1- to C4-haloalkyl, C1- to C4-haloalkoxy or phenoxy or denote C7- to C20-arylalkyl or R and R together denote a (CH2)n or (CH=CH)m group which is unsubstituted or mono- or disubstituted by C1- to C8-alkyl, C1- to C8-alkoxy and/or halogen and in which n represents 1 to 6 and m represents 1 to 3, by reaction of imidazoles of the general formula II in which R , R and R have the abovementioned meanings, with halides of the general formula III R -X (III> in which X represents chlorine, bromine or iodine and R has the abovementioned meanings, in aqueous hydroxide solutions at temperatures of 0 to 100 DEG C by carrying out the reaction in the presence of 0.1 to 50 mol % of an N-substituted imidazole, relative to II.