β-amino-α-cyanoacrylates and their use as herbicides

Abstract

β-Amino-α-Cyanoacrylates of formula I where the variables have the following meanings: Ris n-alkyl, n-alkenyl or alkoxyalkyl; R,Rare alkyl, which may be partially or fully halogenated and/or may carry a substituent from the group consisting of cyano, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkylthio, haloalkylthio, C-C-alkylsulfinyl, haloalkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl and haloalkylsulfonyl, are alkenyl or alkynyl; or Rand Rtogether with the carbon atom to which they are attached form a cycloalkyl ring in which one or two nonadjacent CHgroups may be replaced by oxygen or sulfur, and where the cycloalkyl ring may be substituted by halogen or alkyl; Ris hydrogen, halogen, cyano or alkyl, where the substituents R, Rand Ror two of the radicals R, Rand Rare not simultaneously methyl, and their agriculturally useful salts, processes and intermediates for their preparation; and the use of these compounds or of compositions comprising these compounds for controlling undesirable plants are described.