2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-2H-benzotriazoles of the formula ##STR1## in which R is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, R.sub.1 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl, phenyl or phenyl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl and R.sub.2 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl, phenyl, phenyl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or a group --C.sub.n H.sub.2n --COOR.sub.3, in which n is 0 to 4 and R.sub.3 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, can be prepared particularly advantageously by catalytic hydrogenation of a suitable o-nitroazo compound in the presence of a Pt, Pd, Pt/Pd or Rh hydrogenation catalyst and an alkylenediamine or an acyclic or cyclic polyalkylene polyamine in a halogenated or nonhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbon as solvent.