Phenoxy-alkanecarboxylic acid derivatives, their production, herbicidal compositions containing them, and their use

摘要

New phenoxy-alkanecarboxylic acid derivatives which have a herbicidal action and which are effective in regulating plant growth are described. They correspond to the formula <IMAGE> in which A is the cyano group, a carboxylic acid, a salt, ester, thioester or amide thereof, Q is a mono- to trisubstituted phenyl or pyrid-2-yl radical, R3 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, alkyl or carbamoyl, R4 is alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, phenyl or benzyl, and X, Y and Z are each oxygen or sulfur. They can be used as selective herbicides in cereal and rice crops, or for reducing the vegetative growth, for example in soya-bean crops, and also for defoliation and desiccation in cotton or potato crops shortly before the harvesting thereof.