Phenoxy-alkanecarboxylic acid derivatives, their production, and their use

Abstract From the Canadian patent

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 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 …