TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (Claimed): Preparation of (I) (when X is 1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl or 1H-1,3-imidazol-1-ylmethyl) comprises reacting (II) with 1,2,4-triazole or 1,3-imidazole in the presence of a diluent. Preparation of (I) (in which X is 1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl, 1H-1,3-imidazol-1-ylmethyl, 5-pyrimidinyl or 3-pyridinyl) comprises reacting oxirane derivative of formula (IV) with a (thio)phenol compound of formula (V) in the presence of a diluent. Preparation of (I) (in which X is 5-pyrimidinyl or 5-pyridinyl) comprises reacting (VI) with a halide compound of formula (Hal-X) in the presence of a diluent and an alkali metal organic compound. Preparation of (I) (in which X is 5-pyrimidinyl or 3-pyridinyl) comprises reacting bromide compound of formula (Br-CH2-C(=O)-X) (VIII) with (V) in the presence of a diluent to obtain (IX), and reacting (IX) with organometallic compound of formula (R-M) (X) in the presence of a diluent and an alkali metal organic compound. Preparation of (I) comprises reacting a phenyl(oxy/thio)alkanol derivative of formula (Ic) with sulfur.Hal = halo; andM = a metal. Preferred Definitions:    X = 5-pyrimidinyl, 1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl, 3-pyridinyl or 2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-thion-1-ylmethyl;    Y1 = O, S or CH2;    Z = Br or I, which is in 4th-position; and    R = tert-butyl, isopropyl, 1-chlorocyclopropyl, 1-methylcyclopropyl, 1-methoxycyclopropyl and/or 1-methylthiocyclopropyl.    ACTIVITY - Fungicide; Nematocide; Insecticide; Acaricide; Herbicide; Plant Growth Regulant; Antibacterial; Virucide; Antifouling.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - None given.    ADMINISTRATION - Application of (I) for: the treatment of plant parts e.g. leaves is 0.1-10000, preferably 50-300 g/hectare, seed treatment is 2-200, preferably 2.5-12.5 g/100 kg of seed, and soil treatment is 0.1-10000, preferably 1-5 000 g/hectare. Application of (I) is via immersing, injecting, spraying, sprinkling, evaporating, atomizing, scattering, foaming or coating.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - 51 Compounds (I) are disclosed e.g. 1-(4-bromo-phenoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-2-pyrimidin-5-yl-butan-2-ol of formula (Ia), 1-(4-bromo-phenylsulfanyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-pyrimidin-5-yl-butan-2-ol, 1-(4-bromo-phenoxy)-3-methyl-2-pyrimidin-5-yl-butan-2-ol, 1-(4-iodo-phenylsulfanyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4)triazol-1-ylmethyl-butan-2-ol and 1-(4-iodo-phenoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4)triazol-1-ylmethyl-butan-2-ol.    EXAMPLE - A mixture of 1-(4-bromophenoxy)-3,3-dimethylbutan-2-one (2 g) and 5-bromopyrimidine (1.35 g) in dry tetrahydrofuran (20 ml) was cooled under argon atmosphere at -120 degrees C. Under stirring, n-butyl lithium (3.54 ml) was slowly added. After completed supplement, the reaction mixture was heated, transferred with 10% aqueous ammonium chloride solution (20 ml) and the organic phase was removed. The organic phase was washed subsequently with 1N hydrochloric acid and saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution, dried, filtered, concentrated over sodium sulfate and purified to give 1-(4-bromo-phenoxy)-3,3-dimethyl-2-pyrimidin-5-yl-butan-2-ol (1.89 g).