this invention relates to certain quinoline or quinoxaline benzoate derivatives of the formula i : ## str1 ## wherein , q is a halogen ( e . g ., chlorine , bromine or fluorine ), nitro , or cyano ; x and y are the same or different and represent hydrogen , halogen ( e . g ., chlorine , bromine or fluorine ), alkyl or haloalkyl ( e . g ., trifluoromethyl ) of up to 4 carbon atoms ; r is -- oh , -- om , -- or 1 , -- sr 1 or -- nr 2 r 3 wherein m is an agronomically suitable salt ( e . g ., sodium , potassium or ammonium ); r 1 is c 1 to c 12 alkyl optionally monosubstituted by hydroxy or c 1 to c 12 alkoxy , -- r 4 coor 5 , wherein r 4 is c 1 to c 3 alkylene optionally monosubstituted by c 1 to c 4 alkyl and r 5 is hydrogen , c 1 to c 10 alkyl or an agronomically suitable salt ; r 2 is hydrogen , c 1 to c 12 alkyl or c 3 to c 12 alkenyl ; r 3 is hydrogen c 1 to c 12 alkyl , c 3 to c 12 alkenyl , c 1 to c 6 alkoxy , c 2 to c 6 alkylcarbomyl or c 1 to c 6 alkane sulfonyl . preferred compounds of the formula i are those wherein at least one of x and y is halogen , e . g ., chlorine , or trifluoromethyl , z is nitrogen , q is nitro , and r is -- or 1 wherein r 1 is -- r 4 coor 5 . compounds of this invention embodied in the formula i are believed to be herbicidally active and would be effective in regulating growth of a wide variety of undesirable plants , i . e ., weeds , when applied , in herbicidally effective amount , to the growth medium prior to emergence of the weeds or to the weeds subsequent to emergence from the growth medium . the term &# 34 ; herbicidally effective amount &# 34 ; is that amount of compounds or mixture of compounds of this inventin required to so injure or damage weeds such that the weeds are incapable of recovering following application . the quantity of compound or mixture of compounds of this invention applied in order to exhibit a satisfactory herbicidal effect may vary over a wide range and depends on a variety of factors , such as , for example , hardiness of a particular weed species , extent of weed infestation , climatic conditions , soil conditions , method of application and the like . typically , as little as one or less pound per acre of compound or mixture of compounds of this invention would be expected to provide satisfactory weed control , although in some instances application rates in excess of one pound per acre , e . g ., up to 5 pounds per acre might be required . of course , the efficacy of a particular compound against a particular weed species may readily be determined by routine laboratory or field testing in a manner well known to the art . a compound or compounds of this invention may , of course , be used as such or in formulation with agronomically acceptable adjuvants , inert carriers , other herbicides , or other commonly used agricultural compounds , for example , insecticides , fungicides , stabilizers , safeners , fertilizers or the like . the compounds of this invention alone or in formulation with other agronomically used materials are typically applied in the form of dusts , granules , wettable powders , solutions , suspensions , aerosols , emulsions , dispersions or the like in a manner well known to the art . when formulated with other typically used agronomically acceptable materials , the amount of compound or compounds of this invention may vary over a wide range , for example , from about 0 . 05 to 95 percent by weight on weight of formulation . typically , such formulations would contain from about 5 to 75 percent by weight of compound or compounds of this invention . a compound or compounds of this invention are effective in controlling a variety of common broadleaved and grassy weeds at application rates of only a few grams per acre either pre - or postemergent . exemplary of weeds that may be effectively controlled by the application of compounds of this invention are barnyard grass ( echinochloa crusgalli ), crabgrass ( igitaria sauguinalis ), coffeeweed ( daubentonia punices ), jimsonweed ( datura stamonium ), johnsongrass ( sorghum halepense ), tall morningglory ( ipomoea purpurea ), wild mustard ( brassica caber ), teaweed ( sida spinosa ), velvetleaf ( abutilin theophrasti ), wild oat ( avena fatua ), yellow foxtail ( setaria glauca ), yellow nutsedge ( cyperus esculentus ) and the like . the formula i compounds of this invention may be prepared by reacting the alkali metal , e . g ., potassium salt , of appropriately substituted hydroxyquinoline or hydroxyquinoxaline of the formula ii : ## str2 ## wherein x , y and z are as previously defined with the alkali metal , e . g ., potassium salt , of a fluorinated , substituted benzoic acid of the formula iii : ## str3 ## wherein q is as previously defined , to form a benzoic acid compound of the formula iv : ## str4 ## the formula iv compound is then reacted with an α - halo compound , e . g ., an α - halocarboxylate of the formula v : r 4 and r 5 are as previously defined , to form an invention compound of the formula i . the foregoing mode of synthesis is illustrated more specifically as follows : ( a ) a reactor is charged with 4 . 34 grams ( 0 . 02 mole ) of the potassium salt of 6 - chloro - 2 - hydroxyquinoline ( formula ii compound ) in 25 milliliters of dimethylsulfoxide . to this mixture is added 4 . 46 grams ( 0 . 02 mole ) of the potassium salt of 5 - fluoro - 2 - nitrobenzoate ( formula iii compound ). after stirring at about 100 ° c . for about 16 hours , the reaction mixture is poured into 200 milliliters of water and acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid . filtration and air drying affords 5 -( 6 - chloro - 2 - quinolinoxy )- 2 - nitrobenzoic acid ( formula iv compound ). ( b ) a reactor , provided with a reflux condenser , is charged with 6 . 88 grams ( 0 . 01 mole ) of 5 -( 6 - chloro - 2 - quinolinoxy )- 2 - nitrobenzoic acid , prepared as described in part ( a ), dissolved in 55 milliliters of benzene . to this solution is added 3 . 0 grams ( 0 . 022 mole ) of ethyl 2 - chloropropionate ( formula v compound ) and 3 . 34 grams ( 0 . 02 mole ) of 1 , 8 - diazabicyclo [ 5 . 4 . 0 ] undec - 7 - ene ( dbu ). after 6 hours at reflux , the reaction mixture is cooled , filtered and the filtrate washed with 0 . 25 normal sodium hydroxide solution and saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate . filtration and removal of solvent affords the desired 1 -[ 1 -( ethoxycarbonyl ) ethyl ] 5 -( 6 - chloro - 2 - quinolinoxy )- 2 - nitrobenzoate . the manner of preparing a specific compound within the scope of this invention is described in some detail by the foregoing , and it is to be understood that other formula i compounds can be prepared in like manner by simply varying the choice of starting materials . the compounds of this invention may also be prepared by alternative methods . for example , the compound 1 -[ 1 -( ethoxycarbonyl ) ethyl ] 5 -( 6 - chloro - 2 - quinolinoxy )- 2 - nitrobenzoate prepared as described hereinabove , may also be prepared as follows : substantially equimolar amounts of 2 , 6 - dichloroquinoline and the potassium salt of 3 - hydroxybenzoic acid are reacted , in an inert organic solvent , e . g ., dimethylsulfoxide giving 5 -( 6 - chloro - 2 - quinolinoxy ) benzoic acid which is nitrated , with , for example , potassium nitrate in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid to give the corresponding 2 - nitrobenzoic acid . the 2 - nitrobenzoic acid is then reacted with a suitably substituted -- halo compound , e . g ., 2 - chloropropionate , as described hereinabove . although the invention has been described in some detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof , it is to be understood that it is not intended to be so limited , since many variations may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims .
disclosed are certain herbicidally active quinoline or quinoxaline benzoate derivatives , herbicidal compositions containing these compounds and the use of such compounds to control the growth of noxious plants , i . e ., weeds .