Novel trisubstituted benzoic acid intermediates which are useful in the preparation of certain herbicidal 2-(2,3,4-trisubstituted benzoyl)-1,3-cyclohexanediones. The intermediate benzoic acids of this invention have the following structural formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.6 is chlorine, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio or hydroxy; n is the integer 0 or 2; and R.sup.7 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl.