1-Chloro-2,4-Dinitrobenzene → 2-(2,4-Dinitrophenoxy)ethanol

200 ml of ethylene glycol and 40 ml of the mono-potassium ethylene glycolate solution prepared under Example 3 were introduced initially under nitrogen and were heated to 65° C. in a 2 l reaction vessel fitted with a stirrer. Over the course of 5 h, 162 g of molten 2,4-dinitro-chloro-benzene and the remainder of the mono-potassium ethylene glycolate solution in ethylene glycol were simultaneously metered in. The mixture was then stirred for one hour at 65° C., and then 600 ml of water were added. The precipitate which formed was filtered off and washed with 1000 ml of water and dried, giving 169.7 g of 2-(2′,4′-dinitrophenoxy)-ethanol in a purity of 92%. Hence, a yield of 92% is achieved based on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene.