JPH0472B

In the process for preparing 2-chlorobenzoxazoles of the formula wherein each of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is independently of one another, H, chloro or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, which comprises reacting chlorine with 2-mercaptobenzoxazoles of the formula wherein the improvement comprises providing a melt of previously prepared 2-chloro-benzoxazole, adding the 2-mercaptobenzoxazole reactant to the 2-chlorobenzoxazole melt and simultaneously or subsequently passing chlorine into the melt, with the proviso that substituents R1 to R4 are identical in both the 2-chlorobenzoxazole melt and the 2-mercaptobenzoxazole reactant.