the specific 2 - nitro - 5 -( substituted - phenoxy ) benzoate ester compounds are described below . one method for preparing these compounds is the use of the ullmann ether synthesis reaction between the alkali metal ( e . g ., na , k ) salt of a suitable substituted phenol , e . g ., m - hydroxy benzoic acid or m - cresol with an active halogen - substituted aromatic , e . g ., 3 , 4 - dichlorobenzotrifluoride . the intermediate obtained may be nitrated and subsequently derivatized . where m - cresol is used as a starting material , the product obtained can be oxidized and subsequently nitrated before derivatization . the derivatization steps may be carried out by known techniques . one such technique is the reaction of the appropriate halo - alkanoic acid or derivative with the salt of the particular 2 - nitro - 5 ( substituted phenoxy ) benzoic acid . another technique is the reaction of the desired hydroxy alkanoic acid or derivative with the particular 2 - nitro - 5 ( substituted phenoxy ) benzoyl halide . to a solution of 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoic acid ( 3 . 62 g ., 0 . 01 mole ) in methanol ( 25 ml ) was added potassium t - butoxide ( 1 . 12 g ., 0 . 01 mole ). the solution was stirred for 0 . 5 hours as a solid formed . the solvent was stripped on a rotary evaporator . the resulting solid was then dissolved in dimethylacetamide ( 25 ml ) and n - isopropyl alpha - chloro acetamide ( 1 . 36 g ., 0 . 01 mole ) was added . the stirred solution was heated to about 80 ° c . for 15 hours , cooled and poured into water ( 75 ml ). a yellow solid formed and was filtered , washed and dried to give 4 . 17 g ., m . p . 100 °- 102 ° c . nmr ( cdcl 3 ): doublet 1 . 18 ppm ( j = 8 . 0 hz , 6h ); multiplet 4 . 20 ppm ( 1h ); singlet 4 . 80 ppm ( 2h ); broad doublet 6 . 30 ppm ( 1h ); complex multiplet 7 . 1 - 8 . 0 ppm ( 6h ); doublet 8 . 20 ppm ( j = 8 . 2 hz , 1h ). a solution of ( t - butoxycarbonylmethyl ) 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethylphenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoate ( 4 . 24 g , 0 . 009 mole ) in trifluoroacetic acid ( 10 ml ) was heated on a steam bath at 100 ° c . for 0 . 5 hour to effect the hydrolysis and distill out the trifluoroacetic acid . the residue was dissolved in methylene chloride , washed with water and the dried solution stripped free of solvent . any oily yellow solid was obtained in 97 % yield . nmr ( cdcl 3 ): singlet 5 . 0 ppm ( 2h ); complex multiplet 7 . 1 - 8 . 4 ppm ( 6h ); broad singlet 10 . 8 ppm ( 1h ). a sodium hydride suspension ( 146 mg of 59 % in oil , 0 . 0035 mole ) was washed twice with hexane and then diluted with benzene ( 10 ml ). to this was added carboxymethyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoate ( 1 . 38 g , 0 . 0033 mole ) in benzene ( 10 ml ). the solution was stirred at 0 ° c . and the solvent was then removed to give a viscous yellow oil . ir ( chcl 3 ): c ═ o 1730 and 1620 cm - 1 . nmr ( cdcl 3 ): singlet 4 . 70 ppm ( 2h ); complex multiplet 6 . 7 - 8 . 2 ppm ( 6h ). to a stirred solution of 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoyl chloride ( 3 . 8 g , 0 . 01 mole ) in acetone ( 10 ml ) was successively added diethyl dl malate ( 1 . 9 g , 0 . 01 mole ) in acetone ( 10 ml ) and triethylamine ( 1 . 01 g , 0 . 01 mole ) in acetone ( 5 ml ). a white precipitate quickly formed . the reaction was heated to reflux for 24 hours . upon cooling , the reaction was poured in water ( 75 ml ) and extracted twice with methylene chloride ( 25 ml @). the combined organic extracts were successively washed with 5 % sodium hydroxide and brine solutions . the dried solution was stripped of solvent to give 3 . 56 g of an amber oil . nmr ( cdcl 3 ): triplet 1 . 38 ppm ( 6h , j = 7 . 0 hz ); doublet 3 . 05 ppm ( 2h , j = 6 . 0 hz ); 2 overlapping sets of quartets 4 . 0 - 4 . 5 ppm ( 4h ); triplet 5 . 82 ppm ( 1h , j = 6 . 0 hz ); complex multiplet 7 . 0 - 8 . 0 ppm ( 5h ); doublet 8 . 20 ppm ( 1h , j = 9 . 0 hz ). in addition to compounds 1 - 4 , the following compounds listed in table i were prepared in accordance with the following formula : table i______________________________________ ## str9 ## com - poundno . r . sub . 1 r . sub . 2 r . sub . 3______________________________________5 cooc . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 h cooc . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 bis -( ethoxycar - bonyl ) methyl 5 - [ 2 - chloro - 4 -( tri - fluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitro - benzoate6 con ( c . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 ). sub . 2 h ch . sub . 3 ( diethylaminocar - bonyl )- 1 - ethyl 5 - [ 2 - chloro - 4 -( tri - fluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitro - benzoate7 ch . sub . 2 cooc . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 h ch . sub . 3 1 -( ethoxycar - bonyl )- 2 - propyl 5 - [ 2 - chloro - 4 -( tri - fluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitro - benzoate8 cooch . sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 2 -( methoxycar - bonyl )- 2 - propyl 5 - [ 2 - chloro - 4 - tri - fluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitro - benzoate9 conh . sub . 2 h h ( aminocarbonyl )- methyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( tri - fluoromethyl ) phenoxy - 2 - nitro - benzoate10 cooh h ch . sub . 3 ( 1 - carboxyethyl ) 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 - ( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitro - benzoate______________________________________ other illustrative alpha - hydroxy alkanoic acids and derivatives of the present invention are listed in table ii in accordance with the formula given for table i . table ii__________________________________________________________________________r . sub . 1 r . sub . 2 r . sub . 3__________________________________________________________________________cooh ch . sub . 2 cooh ch . sub . 2 cooh ( 1 , 2 , 3 - tricarboxy )- 2 - propyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoateconhch . sub . 3 h h ( methylaminocarbonyl ) methyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecon ( c . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 ). sub . 2 h h ( diethylaminocarbonyl ) methyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecooc . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 ch . sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 2 -( n - butoxycarbonyl )- 2 - propyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecoonh . sub . 2 ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 2 ch . sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 2 - carboxy - 2 - propyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoate dimethylammonium saltcooh ch . sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 2 - carboxy - 2 - propyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 - ( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecon ( c . sub . 3 h . sub . 7 ). sub . 2 h c . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 ( 1 - dipropylaminocarbonyl ) propyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecooh h c . sub . 3 h . sub . 7 ( 1 - carboxy ) n - butyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoateconhc . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 ch . sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 2 -( ethylaminocarbonyl )- 2 - propyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecooch . sub . 3 c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 5 -( methoxycarbonyl )- 5 - nonyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecooch . sub . 3 h ( ch . sub . 2 ). sub . 3 cooch . sub . 3 ( 1 , 4 - bis - methoxycarbonyl ) n - butyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( tri - fluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecoona h ch . sub . 2 coona ( 1 , 2 - bis - carboxy ) ethyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoate disodium saltcooc . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 c . sub . 2 h . sub . 5 ch . sub . 3 2 -( ethoxycarbonyl )- 2 - butyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoateconh . sub . 2 h conh . sub . 2 bis -( aminocarbonyl ) methyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecooh h cooh ( 1 , 2 - bis - carboxy ) methyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoatecooh cooh ch . sub . 3 ( 1 , 1 - bis - carboxy ) ethyl 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoate__________________________________________________________________________ the compounds of this invention can be applied in various ways to achieve herbicidal action . they can be applied per se , as solids or in vaporized form , but are preferably applied as the toxic components in pesticidal compositions of the compound and a carrier . these compositions may be applied directly to the soil and often incorporated therewith . the compositions can be applied as granulars or dusts ; as liquid sprays , or as gas - propelled sprays and can contain , in addition to a carrier , additives such as emulsifying agents , binding agents , gases compressed to the liquid state , odorants , stabilizers , and the like . a wide variety of liquid and solid carriers can be used . non - limiting examples of solid carriers include talc , bentonite , diatomaceous earth , pyrophyllite , fullers earth , gypsum , flours derived from cotton seeds and nut shells , and various natural and synthetic clays having a ph not exceeding about 9 . 5 . non - limiting examples of liquid carriers include water , organic solvents such as alcohols , ketones , light oils , and medium oils and vegtable oils such as cottonseed oil . in practice , herbicidal application is measured in terms of pounds of herbicide applied per acre . the compounds of this invention are effective herbicides when applied in herbicidal amounts , i . e ., at rates between about 0 . 03 pound and about 10 pounds per acre . crop and weed species are planted in 8 &# 34 ;× 10 &# 34 ; disposable fiber flats containing potting soil to provide each flat with a 4 &# 34 ; row of all test species . crop species consist of field corn ( cn ), crabgrass ( cg ), cotton ( ct ), and soybeans ( sb ). the weed species consist of foxtail millet ( fm ), green foxtail ( gf ), velvetleaf ( vl ), cocklebur ( cb ), wild mustard ( wm ) and pigweed ( pw ). cotton , corn , soybean , and cocklebur plantings consist of 4 to 5 seeds per row depending upon species . the smaller seeded species ( velvetleaf , wild mustard , pigweed , foxtail millet and green foxtail ) are planted in an uncounted but sufficient number to provide a solid row of seedlings . plantings for the pre - and post - emergence portions of the test are identical as to seeding . the initial watering until emergence is done from the top . the post - emergence phase is propagated in advance so as to provide plants of the proper stage of development at the time of treatment . plantings for the pre - emergence phase are made not more than one day in advance of treatment . the desired stage of development for treatment of the post - emergence broadleaf species ( ct , sb , cb , vl , wm , pw ) is the one true leaf or first trifoliate leaf stage . the desired stage for corn would be a height of 3 - 4 &# 34 ;, while a 2 &# 34 ; height would be adequate for the grasses . spray applications are made with a handgun sprayer ( aspirator type ) simultaneously to one flat of established plants for the post - emergence phase and one newly seeded flat for the pre - emergence phase . the 10 lb ./ acre treatment rate consists of the uniform application of 116 milligrams of test compound to the combined area of the two flats ( 160 sq . inches ). application is made in a solvent mixture consisting of 40 ml acetone and 40 ml water and a surfactant concentration of 0 . 1 %. following spray application , flats are returned to the greenhouse where watering of the post - emergence phase is done only by subirrigation . the pre - emergence phase is top watered by sprinkling until after test species have emerged . subsequent watering is by subirrigation . two weeks after treatment , the pre - and post - emergence injury and control is rated on a 0 - 100 % injury and control scale . special physiological effects are rated as to the intensity also at this time . the herbicidal test data reported from compounds 1 - 3 was obtained at application rates of 2 lbs . down to 1 / 4 lb ./ acre . the following lists metric equivalents for each rate expressed in terms of lbs ./ acre . ______________________________________application rateus - lb ./ acre metric - kg / ha______________________________________10 . 0 11 . 24 . 0 4 . 482 . 0 2 . 241 . 0 1 . 120 . 5 0 . 56 0 . 25 0 . 28______________________________________ test results are set forth in table iii ( pre - emergence ) and table iv ( post - emergence ). table iii__________________________________________________________________________compound dosage pre - emergenceno . lbs ./ acre cg fm gf vl cb wm pw ct cn sb__________________________________________________________________________1 2 -- 90 90 20 60 100 100 10 0 -- 1 / 2 -- 90 90 10 30 90 100 20 10 0 1 / 4 -- 60 30 10 0 90 60 0 0 02 2 -- 100 30 40 0 100 100 10 10 10 1 -- 90 20 20 0 100 70 0 0 0 1 / 2 -- 80 20 20 0 90 50 0 0 0 1 / 4 -- 40 0 10 0 30 20 0 0 03 2 -- 90 70 80 0 100 100 20 10 0 1 -- 70 10 50 0 100 100 10 0 0 1 / 2 -- 20 0 10 0 90 100 0 0 0 1 / 4 -- 10 0 0 0 70 100 0 0 04 2 -- 40 10 60 10 90 100 10 0 0 1 / 2 -- 30 20 10 0 90 90 0 0 0 1 / 4 -- 10 20 10 0 80 100 10 10 05 2 -- 100 90 30 0 100 100 20 0 0 1 -- 90 70 20 0 90 100 10 10 0 1 / 2 -- 90 40 20 0 70 100 10 0 0 1 / 4 -- 70 10 10 0 40 90 0 0 106 2 -- 80 70 70 0 90 100 10 0 0 1 -- 90 20 50 0 70 100 0 0 0 1 / 2 -- 50 20 20 0 40 100 10 0 207 2 -- 100 80 50 60 100 100 10 0 0 1 -- 100 70 20 0 100 100 10 0 0 1 / 2 -- 90 60 10 10 100 100 20 0 0 1 / 4 -- 0 0 0 0 10 90 0 0 08 2 -- 100 60 0 10 80 100 20 0 0 1 -- 40 20 0 0 40 90 10 0 0 1 / 2 -- 10 10 0 0 30 90 10 0 0 1 / 4 -- 0 0 0 0 10 50 0 0 09 2 -- 100 90 60 10 100 100 0 0 0 1 -- 100 90 50 0 100 100 10 0 0 1 / 2 -- 90 10 0 0 90 90 0 0 0 1 / 4 -- 90 0 0 0 90 90 0 0 010 2 -- 90 80 60 10 100 100 0 0 0 1 -- 70 70 30 0 90 100 0 0 0 1 / 2 -- 10 10 0 0 90 100 0 0 0 1 / 4 -- 0 0 0 0 40 90 0 0 0__________________________________________________________________________ table iv__________________________________________________________________________compound dosage post - emergenceno . lbs ./ acre cg fm gf vl cb wm pw ct cn sb__________________________________________________________________________1 2 -- 90 90 100 100 100 100 90 90 70 1 / 2 -- 90 90 100 90 100 100 100 40 40 1 / 4 -- 90 90 90 60 90 90 90 40 502 2 -- 90 90 100 100 -- -- 90 50 50 1 -- 90 90 70 100 -- -- 90 30 40 1 / 2 -- 90 90 60 90 -- -- 90 20 30 1 / 4 -- 90 90 40 70 -- -- 70 20 203 2 -- 90 100 100 100 100 100 90 70 60 1 -- 90 90 90 100 100 100 90 70 50 1 / 2 -- 70 80 90 90 100 100 90 60 50 1 / 4 -- 60 70 80 90 100 100 80 50 404 2 -- 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 90 60 1 / 2 -- 90 90 100 100 100 100 100 90 30 1 / 4 -- 90 80 100 100 100 100 100 80 605 2 -- 100 90 90 90 100 100 -- 50 60 1 -- 100 80 90 70 100 90 -- 40 50 1 / 2 -- 90 80 70 70 100 90 -- 20 30 1 / 4 -- 60 70 60 60 100 90 -- 20 206 2 -- 90 90 100 90 100 100 100 80 70 1 -- 90 90 100 80 100 100 100 60 80 1 / 2 -- 70 70 100 70 100 100 100 70 80 1 / 4 -- 20 40 100 70 100 100 90 30 407 2 -- 100 100 100 90 100 100 100 90 70 1 -- 100 90 100 90 100 100 100 80 70 1 / 2 -- 100 90 100 90 100 100 100 80 50 1 / 4 -- 50 70 100 80 100 100 100 60 508 2 -- 90 90 100 90 -- 100 -- 90 90 1 -- 90 90 100 90 -- 100 -- 90 90 1 / 2 -- 90 90 100 90 -- 100 -- 80 80 1 / 4 -- 90 90 100 50 -- 100 -- 40 809 2 -- 100 100 100 90 -- 100 -- 70 90 1 -- 90 90 90 90 -- 100 -- 60 90 1 / 2 -- 90 90 90 40 -- 100 -- 40 90 1 / 4 -- 70 80 90 20 -- 90 -- 20 7010 2 -- 100 90 100 100 100 100 100 90 90 1 -- 90 90 100 100 100 100 100 80 70 1 / 2 -- 90 90 100 100 100 100 100 70 60 1 / 4 -- 90 90 90 100 100 100 90 70 60__________________________________________________________________________ compounds 2 and 4 were also tested for post - emergence activity under field conditions along with sodium 5 -[ 2 - chloro - 4 -( trifluoromethyl ) phenoxy ]- 2 - nitrobenzoate ( compound a ). these field tests were conducted as follows : weeds : green foxtail , barnyard grass , annual morning glory , velvetleaf , pigweed , wild mustard , and cocklebur . treatments were applied 5 weeks after planting with a log sprayer beginning at 1 . 0 lb a . i . ; observations were made at 1 . 0 , 0 . 5 , 0 . 25 and 0 . 125 lb rates . weed control was observed at 13 and 28 days after treatment , using a rating scale of 0 to 100 . compounds 2 and 4 were formulated as a 2 lb / gal emulsifiable concentrate in mixed xylenes containing 7 . 3 wt % of sponto 234 emulsifier . compound a was formulated as a 2 lb / gal aqueous solution without any adjuvants . the results of these field tests are set forth in table v . in this table bg stands for barnyard grass and mg stands for morning glory . __________________________________________________________________________ % grass % grass % broadleaf % broadleaf % crop control at control at control at control at injury atcompound lbs ./ 13 days 28 days 13 days 8 days 5 daysno . acre gf bg gf bg mg vl pw wm cb mg vl pw wm cb sb__________________________________________________________________________2 1 67 . 5 31 . 5 62 . 0 33 . 8 97 . 5 99 . 5 100 100 99 . 5 100 97 100 100 100 45 . 0 1 / 2 20 8 . 8 41 . 2 15 . 0 92 . 5 92 . 5 99 . 5 100 88 . 2 91 . 7 87 . 5 98 . 8 100 83 . 2 38 . 8 1 / 4 5 . 0 3 . 8 26 . 2 6 . 7 67 . 5 45 . 0 97 . 0 98 . 8 77 . 5 60 . 5 41 . 2 93 . 8 87 . 5 73 . 2 27 . 5 1 / 8 3 . 8 5 . 0 5 . 0 0 52 . 5 35 . 0 88 . 8 95 . 0 69 . 2 18 . 3 16 . 8 90 . 0 75 . 0 49 . 5 25 . 04 1 27 13 . 8 31 . 2 15 . 0 96 . 5 100 100 100 85 . 0 95 . 0 98 . 8 100 100 94 . 5 26 . 5 1 / 2 17 . 5 3 . 8 18 . 8 0 78 . 7 100 92 . 8 938 66 . 7 85 . 0 96 . 7 99 . 5 92 . 5 76 . 7 17 . 0 1 / 4 7 . 5 1 . 3 17 . 5 0 91 . 7 77 . 3 88 . 8 86 . 3 41 . 7 76 . 5 63 . 0 90 . 0 66 . 2 34 . 7 8 . 2 1 / 8 5 . 0 0 12 . 5 0 36 . 7 57 . 3 70 . 0 73 . 8 41 . 7 55 . 0 47 . 0 61 . 2 26 . 2 23 . 8 4 . 5a 1 91 . 5 42 . 5 94 . 2 42 . 5 96 . 5 100 100 100 98 . 0 91 . 0 81 . 2 100 100 97 . 5 42 . 5 1 / 2 52 . 5 22 . 5 78 . 8 16 . 2 95 . 2 91 . 2 97 . 8 100 92 . 5 87 . 7 72 . 5 93 . 8 100 76 . 5 33 . 8 1 / 4 30 . 0 12 . 5 45 . 0 8 . 8 75 . 0 63 . 8 92 . 8 99 . 0 72 . 0 56 . 0 48 . 0 87 . 0 100 57 . 5 27 . 2 1 / 8 6 . 3 8 . 8 20 . 0 2 . 5 66 . 8 52 . 5 86 . 3 91 . 3 54 . 5 30 . 3 46 . 2 80 . 0 52 . 5 30 . 0 12 . 5__________________________________________________________________________
there is provided a new class of derivatives of 2 - nitro - 5 - benzoate esters of hydroxyalkanoic acids that have pre - and post - emergence herbicidal activity .