Title of Invention	PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF POLYHALOGENATED CINNAMIC ACIDS AND CINNAMIC ACID DERIVATIVES OF FORMULA ( III )
Abstract	Process for the preparation of polyhalogenated cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives of the formula (III) in which R1,R2,R3 and R4 are identical or different and in each case represent hydrogren, fluorine, chlorine or bromine, at least two of these radicals being other than hydrogen and represents OR5 of N(R6)(R7),where

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FORM 2 THE PATENT ACT 1970 [39 OF 1970] COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [See Section 10, Rule 13] "PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF POLYHALOGENATED CINNAMIC ACIDS AND CINNAMIC ACID DERIVATIVES OF FORMULA (III)" BAYER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a body corporate organized under the laws of Germany, D-51368 Leverkusen, Germany GRANTED 26-7-2007 The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. The present invention relates to new polyhalogen-substituted cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives and a process for the preparation of known and new poly-halogenrsubstituted cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives. Known halogen-substituted cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives are intermediates for the production of agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals (see DE-A2244 761, WO 95/30645, WO 94/26692, WO 94/7893, WO 94/26693 and US-A 5 753 655). 2,4-Difluorocinnamic acid and its esters of the formula (II) can be prepared by reacting benzyl halides of the formula (I) with acetic anhydride or benzaldehydes of the formula (I) with malonic acid or malonic acid esters. The following reaction equation illustrates this: A = OH or O-alkyl. A disadvantage here is the high reaction temperature needed, the unsatisfactory yield and the difficult accessibility of the compounds of the formula (T). Monatshefte der Chemie 90, 680 (1959) describes the reaction of 2,4-difluorobenzaldehyde with acetic anhydride at 180°C, 2,4-difluorocinnamic acid being obtained in 77% yield. IQ another route for the preparation of a halogen-substituted cinnamic acid derivative, 2,4-difluoro-bromobenzene is used as a starting material and this is reacted with acrylic acid with addition of triphenylphosphinepalladium dichloride and potassium carbonate in dimethylformamide at 145 to 150°C in the course of 6 hours. The corresponding cinnamic acid derivative is obtained in a yield of only 54% (Russ. J. Org. Chem. 33 (4), 563-569 (1997)). The yield is still unsatisfactory here and high reaction temperatures and long reaction times are also needed. Finally, it is known from EP-A-584 043 that compounds of the type Ar-CHRa-CHRbRc can be prepared if diazonium salts of the type AR-N2® are reacted with compounds of the type CRa=CRbRc with formation of compounds of the type Ar-CHRa=CRbRc and the reaction is carried out in the presence of homogeneous palladium catalysts and with addition of 1 to 10 equivalents of base. This process is particularly suitable for the preparation of compounds in which the Ar radical is substituted by a sulphonic acid group, i.e. a strongly polar group. In addition to this restriction, it is disadvantageous that in this process large amounts of bases have to be added, which means additional costs and makes necessary a complicated work-up of the reaction mixture. . EP-A-584 264 describes a similar process to that of .EP-A-584 043. However, the reaction is carried out in the additional presence of arylphosphanes, which is associated with further costs and further additional outlay. There is thus still the need for a process for the preparation of polyhalogenated cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives in which, in a simple manner, at moderate temperatures, with short reaction times, without addition of base and without necessary addition of arylphosphanes, the desired products are accessible in a higher yield than hitherto. Le A 34 067-DEQ2 A process for the preparation of polyhalogenated cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives of the formula (HI) has now been found in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 are identical or different and in each case represent hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine or bromine, at least two of these radicals being other than hydrogen and X represents OR-5 or N(R6)(R7), where R5 represents hydrogen, optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl, optionally substituted phenyl or benzyl and R6 and R7 are identical or different and in each case represent optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl and R8 represents hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl, which is characterized in that a diazonium salt of the formula (IV) in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 have the meaning indicated in formula (HI) and A® represents an equivalent of halide, hydrogensulphate, nitrate, acetate or tetra-fluoroborate ions or xh an equivalent of sulphate ions or 1/3 an equivalent of phosphate ions, is reacted with acrylic acid or an acrylic acid derivative of the formula (V) in which X has the meaning indicated in formula (HI) and R8 represents hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl, in the presence of a homogeneous, palladium-containing catalyst at -5 to +100°C. The process according to the invention is most preferably carried out without addition of base. The amount of base which can be added per mol of diazonium salt of the formula (IV) is generally 0.5 mol or less, preferably 0.1 mol or less and more preferably 0.05 mol. Advantageously and most preferably, the process according to the invention is carried out without addition of arylphosphanes. The amount of arylphosphanes which can be added per mol of palladium is generally 4 mol or less, preferably 1 mol or less and more preferably 0.1 mol or less. Lc A 34 067-DEQ2 If the radicals R5, R6, R7 and R8 are optionally substituted alkyl radicals, suitable substituents can be, for example, halogen, hydroxyl or C6-C12-aryl radicals. 1 or 2 of these substituents can be present, for example, per radical selected from the group consisting of R5, R6, R7 and R8. Preferably, R1 represents hydrogen or chlorine, R2 represents hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine or bromine, R3 represents hydrogen or chlorine and R4 represents fluorine or chlorine, at least one of the radicals R1, R2 and R3 being other than hydrogen. R5 preferably represents hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl or benzyl. R6 and R7 preferably represent methyl or ethyl. R8 preferably represents hydrogen or methyl. A® preferably represents an equivalent of chloride, hydrogensulphate or acetate or 1/2 an equivalent of sulphate. Suitable homogeneous, palladium-containing catalysts are, for example, palladium(II) and palladium(O) compounds such as PdCl2, PdBr2, Pd(N03)2, H2PdCl4, Pd(CH3COO)2, Na2PdCl4, K2PdCl4, Pd(H) acetylacetonate, tetra-(triphenylphosphine)Pd and tris-(dibenzylideneacetone)Pd2. PdCl2, Pd(CH3COO)2 and Pd(II) acetylacetonate are preferred. The respective palladium-containing catalyst can be employed, for example, in an amount from 0.001 to 10 mol%, preferably based on the diazonium salt of the formula (IV). Preferred reaction temperatures are those from +20 to +80°C, in particular those from +40 to +65°C. The process according to the invention can optionally be carried out with the addition of simple solvents. Useful simple solvents include for example water, alcohols such as for example C1-C6~alkyl alcohols, carboxylic acids such as for example formic acid, ethers such as for example tetrahydrofuran and nitriles, such as for example Le A 34 067-DE02 acetonitrile. The diazonium salts of the formula (IV) can be prepared in a manner known per se (see, for example, Houben-Weyl, Volume X/3, pages 7 to 113) from the corresponding anilines by reaction with sodium nitrite in acidic aqueous solution or by reaction of methyl nitrite in acidic methanol. The diazonium salts can be employed in the process according to the invention in the form of the reaction mixture obtained during their preparation, preferably after the destruction of nitrite which may still be present. Isolation of the diazonium salts is not necessary. Preferred compounds of the formula (V) are acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acryl-amide and methacrylamide. Based on 1 mol of diazonium salt of the formula (IV), it is possible to employ, for example, 0.5 to 2 mol of acrylic acid or acrylic acid derivatives of the formula (V). This amount is preferably 0.9 to 1.5 mol. The process according to the invention can be carried out so that, for example, firstly an aniline of the formula in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 have the meaning indicated in formula (HI), is converted with sodium nitrite in aqueous sulphuric acid solution or with an alkyl nitrite such as methyl, ethyl, butyl or amyl nitrite, preferably methyl nitrite, in acidic, Le A 34 067-DE02 e.g. sulphuric acid-containing methanol, into a diazonium salt of the formula (IV), nitrite which may be present in the reaction mixture obtained is destroyed by addition of amidosulphonic acid, the reaction mixture treated in this way is added dropwise at reaction temperature to a mixture of acrylic acid or an acrylic acid derivative of the formula (V) with a homogeneous, palladium-containing catalyst and optionally a simple solvent such as water, methanol, ethanol or isopropanol and optionally after a stirring time the prepared product of the formula (HI), if appropriate after cooling and/or dilution with water, is separated off, e.g. by filtration, distillation or phase separation. The process according to the invention has the advantages that it produces polyhalogen-substituted cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives in high yields in a simple manner, at low temperatures, in short reaction times, without large amounts and preferably without additions of bases, without large amounts and preferably without absolutely necessary additions of arylphosphanes. Moreover, no special solvents such as amide solvents, e.g. dimethylformamide, are needed. The present invention further relates to new polyhalogenated cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives of the formula (III"), in which R2" represents chlorine and R4" represents fluorine or R2" represents fluorine and R4" represents chlorine. Le A 34 067-DE02 One possibility of preparation of the new compounds of the formula (IIT) has been described above. Their utility is illustrated below. The polyhalogenated cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives of the formula (HI) including those of the formula (AT) can be converted by hydrogenation of the double bond (1st step) and subsequent cyclization (2nd step) into indanone derivatives of the formula in which R1 to R4 have the meaning indicated in formula (HI) and R8 represents hydrogen, bromine, chlorine or optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl. Compounds of the general formula (VIla) in which R8 represents hydrogen can be converted in a manner known per se by halogenation into the corresponding compounds of the general formula (VIla) in which R8 represents bromine or chlorine. Furthermore, compounds of the general formula (VIla) in which R8 represents bromine or chlorine can be converted in a manner known per se, for example by palladium-catalysed carbonylation reactions with carbon monoxide and a suitable nucleophile, into indanone derivatives of the formula (VIIb) Le A 34 067-DE02 in which R1 to R4 have the meaning indicated in formula (HI) and R9 represents COOH, CONH2 or COOR10, where R10 denotes C1-C4-alkyl. The 1st step can be carried out, for example, by hydrogenating with hydrogen in the presence of platinum or palladium, if appropriate at elevated pressure, and the 2nd step can be carried out, for example, by converting the arylproprionic acids obtained into the corresponding acid chlorides and cyclizing these with the aid of Friedel-Crafts catalysts to give the indanones of the general formula (VIla). From these indanones and those of the formula (VIIb), agrochemical and pharmaceutical active compounds and liquid-crystalline materials are accessible analogously to known processes (see, for example, WO 95/29171, EP-A 538 134, EP-A 401 166 and JP-A 06-263 663). The new compounds of the formula (HI") widen the range of the indanones available and thus to prepare and to test potential active compounds in the agrochemical and pharmaceutical field and also in the field of liquid-crystalline substances. Le A 34 067-DE02 Examples Example 1 2,4-Difluorocinnamic acid 62 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid were added to 236 ml of water, the mixture was cooled to 5°C and 38.7 g of 2,4-difluoroaniline were added. A solution of 23.9 g of sodium nitrite in 45 ml of water was added dropwise at 0 to 2°C in the course of 40 minutes and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. Sufficient amidosulphonic acid was then added to destroy excess nitrite. 0.34 g of tris(dibenzylideneacetone)-dipalladium(O) was added to 25.8 g of acrylic acid and the diazonium salt solution was added dropwise at 40°C over the course of 4 hours and the mixture was stirred for 2 hours. After it had been cooled to room temperature, 47.5 g of difluorocinnamic acid were isolated by filtration (86% of theory; melting point: 203°C). Example 2 2,4-Difluorocinnamic acid 77.5 g of difluoroaniline were added dropwise at 0°C to a mixture of 124 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid and 472 ml of water. A solution of 48.3 g of sodium nitrite in 90 ml of water was then added dropwise at 0°C in the course of 30 minutes such that the temperature was maintained. The mixture was then stirred at 0°C for 30 minutes. Excess nitrite was destroyed by the addition of amidosulphonic acid. 0.1 g of palladium(II) acetylacetonate was added to 54.8 g of acrylic acid and the mixture was warmed to 50°C. The diazonium salt solution was added dropwise at this temperature in the course of 4 hours and the mixture was stirred for a further 2 hours. After it had been cooled to room temperature, the solid was isolated by filtration, washed with water and dried (99.6 g; 90% of theory; melting point: 203 to 205°C). Le A 34 067-DE02 Example 3 4-Bromo-2-fluorocinnamic acid 62 ml of sulphuric acid were added to 236 ml of water and the mixture was cooled to 5°C. 57.0 g of 4-bromo-2-fluoroaniline were added at this temperature and a solution of 24.2 g of sodium nitrite in 45 ml of water was added dropwise at 0 to 2°C in the course of 30 minutes and the mixture was stirred for 20 minutes. 2.8g of amido-sulphonic acid were then added. 5 ml of the diazonium salt solution were added dropwise at 40°C to 27.5 g of acrylic acid, 0.23 g of palladium(II) acetylacetonate was added and the residual diazonium salt solution was added dropwise in the course of 20 minutes. The mixture was stirred at 40°C for 4 hours. It was allowed to cool to room temperature and the product was isolated by filtration. After drying, 54.4 g of 4-bromo-2-fluorocinnamic acid were present (74% of theory; melting point: 218°C). Example 4 2,4-Dichlorocinnamic acid Gaseous methyl nitrite was prepared from 35 g of sodium nitrite in a methanol (20 ml)/water (60 ml) mixture by addition of 30 ml of 50% strength sulphuric acid (30 ml), and was introduced at 0°C into a mixture of 250 ml of water, 60 ml of cone, sulphuric acid and 53.5 g of 2,4-dichloroaniline, The mixture was stirred for 1 hour. Excess methyl nitrite was removed by passing through a stream of nitrogen and addition of 3 g of amidosulphonic acid. This solution was added over the course of 2 hours at 40°C to a solution of 0.25 g of palladium(II) acetylacetonate and 30 g of acrylic acid and the mixture was stirred for 2 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the precipitate was filtered and dried. 58.1 g of 2,4-dichlorocinnamic acid resulted (81% of theory; melting point: 230°C). Example 5 2,4-Difluorocinnamic acid 77.5 g of difluoroaniline were added dropwise at 0°C to a mixture of 124 ml of cone. sulphuric acid and 472 ml of water. A solution of 48.3 g of sodium nitrite in 90 ml of water was then added dropwise at 0°C such that the temperature was maintained. The mixture was then stirred at 0°C for 30 minutes. Excess nitrite was destroyed by the addition of amidosulphonic acid. 0.34 g of palladium(H) acetate was added to 54.8 g of acrylic acid and the mixture was warmed to 47°C. The diazonium salt solution was added dropwise at this temperature in the course of 2 hours such that the temperature did not exceed 49°C, then the mixture was stirred for a further 2 hours. After it had been cooled to room temperature, the solid was isolated by filtration, washed with water and dried. This afforded 105.1 g of 2,4-difluorocinnamic acid (95% of theory; melting point 204-205°C). Example 6 3-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-2-methylacrylic acid 77.5 g of difluoroaniline were added dropwise at 0°C to a mixture of 124 ml of cone, sulphuric acid and 472 ml of water. A solution of 48.3 g of sodium nitrite in 90 ml of water was then added dropwise at 0°C such that the temperature was maintained, then the mixture was stirred at 0°C for 30 minutes. Excess nitrite was destroyed by the addition of amidosulphonic acid. 0.34 g of palladium(H) acetate was added to 60.1 g of methacrylic acid and the mixture was warmed to 45°C. The diazonium salt solution was added dropwise at this temperature in the course of 2 hours such that the temperature did not exceed 50°C, then the mixture was stirred for a further 2 hours. After it had been cooled to room temperature, the solid was isolated by filtration, washed with water and dried. 118.0 g of 3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-methylacrylic acid resulted (85% of theory; melting point 140-142°Q. Le A 34 067-DEQ2 Example 7 3-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-propionic acid (not according to the invention) 105 g of 2,4-difluorocinnamic acid from Example 5 were dissolved in 450 ml of tetrahydrofuran and reacted with 5 g of palladium on active carbon with stirring at 100°C and a hydrogen pressure of 50 bar. After a constant pressure had been achieved, the mixture was cooled to room temperature, the pressure was released, the palladium catalyst was filtered off and the solvent was removed by distillation. After drying in vacuo, 104.1 g of 3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-propionic acid (98% of theory; melting point: 100-102°C) were obtained. Example 8 2,5-Difluoro-4-chlorocinnamic acid 98.2 g of 2,5-difluoro-4-chloroaniline were added dropwise at 0°C to a mixture of 124 ml of cone, sulphuric acid and 472 ml of water. A solution of 48.3 g of sodium nitrite in 90 ml of water was then added dropwise at 0°C such that the temperature was maintained. The mixture was then stirred at 0°C for 30 minutes. Excess nitrite was destroyed by the addition of amidosulphonic acid. 0.34 g of palladium(II) acetate was added to 54.8 g of acrylic acid and the mixture was warmed to 47°C. The diazonium salt solution was added dropwise at this temperature in the course of 2 hours such that the temperature did not exceed 49°C, then the mixture was stirred for a further 2 hours. After it had been cooled to room temperature, the solid was isolated by filtration, washed with water and dried. This afforded 116.7 g of 2,5-difluoro-4-chlorocinnamic acid (89% of theory). Example 9 2,5-Difluoro-3-chlorocinnamic acid 98.2 g of 2,5-difluoro-3-chloroaniline were added dropwise at 0°C to a mixture of 124 ml of cone, sulphuric acid and 472 ml of water. A solution of 48.3 g of sodium nitrite in 90 ml of water was then added dropwise at 0°C such that the temperature was maintained. The mixture was then stirred at 0°C for 30 minutes. Excess nitrite Le A 34 067-DEQ2 was destroyed by the addition of amidosulphonic acid. 0.34 g of palladium(II) acetate was added to 54.8 g of acrylic acid and the mixture was warmed to 47°C. The diazonium salt solution was added dropwise at this temperature in the course of 2 hours such that the temperature did not exceed 49°C, then the mixture was stirred for a further 2 hours. After it had been cooled to room temperature, the solid was isolated by filtration, washed with water and dried. This afforded 108.9 g of 2,5-difluoro-3-chlorocinnamic acid (83% of theory). Example 10 2,3,4,5-Tetrachlorocinnamic acid 98.2 g of 2,3,4,5-tetrachloroaniline were added dropwise at 0°C to a mixture of 124 ml of cone, sulphuric acid and 472 ml of water. A solution of 48.3 g of sodium nitrite in 90 ml of water was then added dropwise at 0°C such that the temperature was maintained. The mixture was then stirred at 0°C for 30 minutes. Excess nitrite was destroyed by the addition of amidosulphonic acid. 0.34 g of palladium(II) acetate was added to 54.8 g of acrylic acid and the mixture was warmed to 47°C. The diazonium salt solution was added dropwise at this temperature in the course of 2 hours such that the temperature did not exceed 49°C, then the mixture was stirred for a further 2 hours. After it had been cooled to room temperature, the solid was isolated by filtration, washed with water and dried. This afforded 144.1 g of 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorocinnamic acid (84% of theory). Example 11 3-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)propionic acid (not according to the invention) The procedure was as in Example 5, but the 2,4-difluorocinnamic acid obtained was not isolated. The aqueous-acidic product suspension obtained was treated with 2 g of Pd/C (5% strength) at 50°C with further stirring and heated to 100°C. It was then pressurized to 5 bar of hydrogen. After constant pressure had been achieved, it was cooled to room temperature, the pressure was released and the solid was filtered off. Le A 34 067-DE02 The filter cake was taken up in methylene chloride, the palladium catalyst was filtered off and the solvent was removed. After drying in vacuo, 100.5 g of 3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)propionic acid (90% of theory; melting point: 100°C) were obtained. Example 12 3-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)propionic acid (not according to the invention) The procedure was as in Example 11, but the addition of palladium on active carbon was dispensed with. 98.3 g of 3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)propionic acid (88% of theory) were obtained. Example 13 3-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)propionic acid (not according to the invention) The procedure was as in Example 5, but the 2,4-difluorocinnamic acid obtained was not isolated. The aqueous-acidic product suspension obtained was rendered alkaline using sodium hydroxide solution and treated with 2 g of Pd/C (5% strength) at 50°C with further stirring and heated to 100°C. It was then pressurized to 5 bar of hydrogen. After constant pressure had been achieved, it was cooled to room temperature, the pressure was released and the palladium catalyst was filtered off. The alkaline product solution was acidified with sulphuric acid and the product precipitate was isolated by filtration. After drying in vacuo, 95.0 g of 3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)propionic acid (85% of theory) were obtained. Example 14 4,6-Difluoroindan-l-one (not according to the invention) Thionyl chloride (54.6 g) was added dropwise at 40°C to a solution of 3-(2,4-di-fluorophenyl)propionic acid (57 g) in methylene chloride (200 ml). After reaction was complete, excess thionyl chloride and the solvent were removed by distillation. The oily residue was added dropwise at 40°C to a suspension of aluminium chloride (88.5 g) in methylene chloride (200 ml). The reaction mixture was added to dilute hydrochloric acid after 18 hours at 40°C. The aqueous phase was separated off and Le A 34 Q67-DEQ2 extracted once with methylene chloride (250 ml). The combined organic phases were freed from the solvent and then distilled in vacuo. 41 g of a colourless solid were obtained (m.p.: 103°C). Example 15 4,6-Dichloroindan-l-one (not according to the invention) Thionyl chloride (36.9 g) was added dropwise at 40°C to a solution of 3-(2,4-di-chlorophenyl)propionic acid (43.8 g) in methylene chloride (200 ml). After reaction was complete, excess thionyl chloride and the solvent were removed by distillation. The oily residue was added dropwise at 40°C to a suspension of aluminium chloride (53.3 g) in methylene chloride (200 ml). The reaction mixture was added to dilute hydrochloric acid after 18 hours at 40°C. The aqueous phase was separated off and extracted once with methylene chloride (250 ml). The combined organic phases were freed from the solvent. The residue was recrystallized from cyclohexane. 30 g of a colourless solid (m.p.: 115-116°C) were obtained. Example 16 5,7-Dichloroindan-l-one (not according to the invention) Thionyl chloride (45.2 g) was added dropwise at 40°C to a solution of 3-(3,5-di-chlorophenyl)propionic acid (54.8 g) in methylene chloride (200 ml). After reaction was complete, excess thionyl chloride and the solvent were removed by distillation. The oily residue was added dropwise at 40°C to a suspension of aluminium chloride (66.7 g) in methylene chloride (200 ml). The reaction mixture was added to dilute hydrochloric acid after 18 hours at 40°C. The aqueous phase was separated off and extracted once with methylene chloride (250 ml). The combined organic phases were freed from the solvent. The residue was recrystallized from cyclohexane. 36 g of a colourless solid (m.p.: 119-120°C) were obtained. Example 17 Analogously to Example 5, starting from 2-chloro-5-fluoroaniline, 2-chloro-5-fluoro- Le A 34 067-DE02 cinnamic acid was prepared in a yield of 80% of theory. The melting point of this cinnamic acid was 182°C and the JH-NMR spectrum showed characteristic absorptions at 6.6 ppm (d), 7.25 ppm (m), 7.5 ppm (m) and 7.75 (m), recorded in DMSO. Example 18 Analogously to Example 5, starting from 2-fluoro-5-chloro-aniline, 2-fluoro-5-chloro-cinnamic acid was prepared in a yield of 81% of theory. The melting point of this cinnamic acid was 183°C and the 1H-NMR spectrum showed characteristic absorptions at 6.6 ppm (d), 7.25 ppm (t), 7.45 ppm (m), 7.55 ppm (d) and 7.9 ppm (m), recorded in DMSO. WE CLAIM: 1. Process for the preparation of polyhalogenated cinnamic acids and cinnamic acid derivatives of the formula (III) (IE), in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 are identical or different and in each case represent hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine or bromine, at least two of these radicals being other than hydrogen and X represents OR5 or N(R6)(R7), where R5 represents hydrogen or optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl, optionally substituted phenyl or benzyl and R6 and R7 are identical or different and in each case represent optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl and R8 represents hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl, wherein a diazonium salt of the formula (IV) in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 have the meaning indicated in formula (III) and A- represents an equivalent of halide, hydrogensulphate, nitrate, acetate or tetrafluoroborate ions or 1/2. an equivalent of sulphate ions or 1/3 an equivalent of phosphate ions, is reacted with acrylic acid or an acrylic acid derivative of the formula (V) in which X has the meaning indicated in formula (III) and R8 represents hydrogen, chlorine, bromine C1-C10-alkyl, or optionally substituted C1-C10-alkyl, in the presence of a homogeneous, palladium-containing catalyst at -5 to+100°C. 2. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the formulae, R1 represents hydrogen or chlorine, R2 represents hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine or bromine, R3 represents hydrogen or chlorine and R4 represents fluorine or chlorine, at least one of the radicals R1, R2 and R3 being other than hydrogen, R5 represents hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl or benzyl, R6 and R7 represent methyl or ethyl, R8 represents hydrogen or methyl and A-represents an equivalent of chloride, hydrogensulphate or acetate or Va an equivalent of sulphate. 3. Process as claimed in claims 1 and 2 wherein, catalysts, PdCl2, PdBr2, Pd(N03)2, H2PdCl4, Pd(CH3COO)2, Na2PdCl4, K2PdCl4, Pd(II) acetylacetonate, tetra-(trisphenylphosphine)Pd or tris-(dibenzylideneacetone)Pd2 is employed in amounts from 0.001 to 10 mol%, based on the diazonium salt of the formula (IV). 4. Process as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the diazonium salts of the formula (IV) are prepared from the corresponding anilines by reaction with sodium nitrite in acidic, aqueous solution or by reaction with an alkyl nitrite in acidic methanol and they are employed in the form of the reaction mixtures obtained during their preparation. 5. Process as claimed in claims 1 to 4 wherein, per mole of diazonium salt of the formula (IV), 0.5 to 2 mol of acrylic acid or acrylic acid derivatives of the formula (V) are employed. 6. Process as claimed in claims 1 to 5, wherein the said process is carried out without a base. Dated this 28* day of July 2003 [DEEPA KACHROO TIKU] OF REMFRY & SAGAR ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANT(S)

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