Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Incorporated

Sachiko Hibi

Tohru Miura

Kanji Tomiya

Kengo Oda

Makoto Nishida

Koichi Moriyasu

A 3,4-cis isomer of 4-ethyl-1-(substituted phenyl)-3-substituted phenyl)pyrrolidin-2-one, when reacted with a base, can be effectively convered into a 3,4-trans isomer thereof which has a high herbicidal activity useful as an effective ingredient for a herbicidal composition. Furthermore, 3,4-trans-4-ethyl-1-(substituted phenyl)-3-(substituted phenyl)pyrrolidin-2-one compounds represented by the formula (III) ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.2 is an isopropyl group, and X is a fluorine atom, chlorine atom or bromine atom substituted at the 3-position, or fluorine atoms substituted at the 3- and 4-positions or the 3- and 5-positions) have an extremely excellent activity particularly as a herbicidally active ingredient of the herbicidal composition for rice paddy fields.

Growing community of inventors

Mobara, Japan

Sachiko Hibi