Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Michael R Bartley

Ian T Kay

David J Collins

Terence Lewis

David J Gilman

Walter Hepworth

Harjinder S Bansal

Raymond L Sundley

A method of killing or controlling unwanted plants by applying to the plant on to a locus thereof an effective amount of a compound of formula (I) ##STR1## or a salt thereof: wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently selected from hydrogen, hydroxy, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylcarbonyl, halogen, cyans, nitro, haloalkyl and haloalkoxy; R.sup.6 is hydrogen, hydroxy, amino, lower alkyl, halogen, cyano, haloalkyl, nitro, aryl, or a group C(O).sub.m R.sup.10, wherein R.sup.10 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or phenyl any of which may be optionally substituted and m is 1 or 2; R.sup.7 is hydrogen, lower alkyl, haloalkyl, C(O).sub.m R.sup.10 or halogen; or R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 together form an optionally substituted alkylene chain of 2 or 3 carbon atoms; R.sup.8 is hydrogen, lower alkyl or halogen or the group R.sup.7 or R.sup.8 together form an oxo group; and the group CZR.sup.9 is carboxy or an ester thereof, or R.sup.9 is a group SR.sup.10 or NR.sup.11 R.sup.12 wherein R.sup.11 is hydrogen or alkyl and R.sup.12 is hydrogen, alkyl, S(O).sub.n R.sup.10 wherein n is 0, 1 or 2; or R.sup.9 is a group NR.sup.11 NR.sup.13 R.sup.14 wherein R.sup.11, R.sup.13 and R.sup.14 are independently selected from hydrogen or alkyl; or R.sup.9 is a group --N.sup..sym. R.sup.11 NR.sup.13 R.sup.14 R.sup.20 x.sup..crclbar. wherein R.sup.11, R.sup.13, R.sup.14 and R.sup.20 are each hydrogen or alkyl, and x.sup.- is an agricultrually acceptable anion, and Z is oxygen or sulphur. Herbicidal compositions containing compounds of formula (I) are also claimed together with certain novel sub groups of compounds of formula (I) and processes for their preparation.

Herbicidal compositions

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Lyme Regis, United Kingdom

Michael R Bartley