PURPOSE: To obtain the subject compound for herbicides by nitrating a readily available novel compound, such as O-methoxycarbonylmethyl-3-(2-chloro-4- trifluoromethylphenoxy)benzohydroximate.

CONSTITUTION: A novel compound expressed by formula I [Z is CX (X is H or halogen) or N; R1 and R3 are lower alkyl; R2 is H or lower alkyl] is nitrated to afford a 2-nitro-5-(substituted aryloxy)benzohydroximic acid derivative expressed by formula II [e.g., methyl O-methoxycarbonylmethyl 5-(2-chloro-4- trifluoromethylphenoxy)-2-nitrobenzohydroximate]. The compound expressed by formula I is obtained by, e.g., reacting a compound expressed by formula III with a sulfurating agent to provide a compound expressed by formula IV, reacting the resultant compound expressed by formula IV with hydroxylamine and then reacting the obtained compound expressed by formula V with a compound expressed by formula VI.