May & Baker, Ltd.

Neil J Geach

Leslie R Hatton

James Gilmour

Philip H Smith

A 2-benzoylcyclic-1,3-dione derivative of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X represents methylene, oxygen, sulphur or --NR.sup.4 --, Y represents --C(R.sup.5) (R.sup.6)-- or oxygen, R.sup.1 represents hydrogen or alkyl optionally substituted by halogen or represents cycloalkyl, R.sup.2 represents hydrogen or R.sup.7 or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together represent alkylene, R.sup.3 represents halogen, hydroxy, carboxy, nitro, cyano or amino or carbamoyl (which may be substituted by one or two alkyl groups), alkoxycarbonyl, alkanoyl, or alkanoylamino, R, RO, RS, RSO or RSO.sub.2 in which R represents alkyl optionally substituted by halogen, R.sup.4 represents hydrogen or alkyl or alkoxycarbonyl, R.sup.5 represents hydrogen or alkyl or alkoxycarbonyl, R.sup.6 represents hydrogen or alkyl, R.sup.7 represents alkyl which may be substituted by halogen or alkylthio or by a group (R.sup.8).sub.n -phenyl-S-, or represents cycloalkyl or tetrahydrothiapyran-3-yl or represents a group (R.sup.8).sub.n -phenyl- in which R.sup.8 represents a halogen, hydroxy, carboxy, nitro or cyano, or amino or carbamoyl (which may be substituted by one or two alkyl groups), alkoxycarbonyl or alkanoyl or alkanoylamino or R, RO, RS, RSO or RSO.sub.2 in which R represents alkyl which is optionally substituted by halogen, m is zero or 1 to 5 and n is zero or 1 to 5, provided that when X represents methylene, and Y represents --C(R.sup.5) (R.sup.6)--then R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 do nmot simultaneously represent hydrogen or alkyl and salts thereof are useful as herbicides.

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Brentwood, United Kingdom

Neil J Geach