I use an applescript with microsoft word:
tell application "Microsoft Word" to set theOldDefaultPath to get default file path file path type documents path
-- looks like we change the default path to where the document is and then set it back when we're done
try
tell application "Finder"
set theFilePath to container of theFile as text
set ext to name extension of theFile
set theName to name of theFile
copy length of theName to l
copy length of ext to exl
set n to l - exl - 1
copy characters 1 through n of theName as string to theFilename
set theFilename to theFilename & ".pdf"
tell application "Microsoft Word"
set default file path file path type documents path path theFilePath
open theFile
set theActiveDoc to the active document
save as theActiveDoc file format format PDF file name theFilename
close theActiveDoc
end tell
end tell
end try
try
tell application "Microsoft Word" to set default file path file path type documents path path theOldDefaultPath
end try