What is claimed is:
1. Compounds of formula I
(Formula Removed)
wherein
R1 is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, cyclopropyl, halomethyl, haloethyl, halogen, vinyl, ethynyl, methoxy, ethoxy, halomethoxy or haloethoxy,
R2and R3 are, independently hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6haloalkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, C1-C6haloalkoxy, C2-C6alkenyl, C2-C6haloalkenyl, C2-C6alkynyl, C3-C6alkenyloxy, C3-C6haloalkenyloxy, C3-C6alkynyloxy, C3-C6cycloalkyl, C1-C6alkylthio, C1-C6alkylsulfinyl, C1-Cealkylsulfonyl, C1-C6alkoxysulfonyl, C1-C6haloalkoxysulfonyl, cyano, nitro, phenyl, phenyl substituted by C1-C4alkyl, C1-C3haloalkyl, C1-C3alkoxy, C1-C3alkoxy- C1-C3alkoxy, C1-C3haloalkoxy, aminocarbonyl, cyano, nitro, halogen, C1-C3alkylthio, C1-C3alkylsulfinyl or C1-C3alkylsulfonyl, or phenyl wherein 2 adjacent carbon atoms are bridged by a -O-CH2-O- or -O-CH2-CH2-O- group, or heteroaryl or heteroaryl substituted by C1-C4alkyl, C1-C3haloalkyl, C1-C3alkoxy, cyclopropyl- C1-C3alkoxy, C1-C3haloalkoxy, cyano, nitro, halogen, C1-C3alkylthio, C1-C3alkylsulfinyl or C1-C3alkylsulfonyl,
R4is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, halomethyl, haloethyl, halogen, vinyl, ethynyl, methoxy, ethoxy, halomethoxy or haloethoxy, R5 is hydrogen or methyl,
R6 and R7 are independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, C3-C6cycloalkyl, halogen, halomethyl, haloethyl, halogen, methoxy, halomethoxy, haloethoxy, or together R6 and R7 are joined to form together with the carbon atom to which they are attached a 3 -7 membered ring or a 3 -7 membered ring substituted by one or two methyl groups,
Q is a 3- to 8-membered saturated or mono-unsaturated heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O)p, or Q is a 3- to 8-membered saturated or mono-unsaturated heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O)p, which is substituted by =0, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy- C1-C2alkyl, C3-C6cycloalkyl or C3-
C6cycloalkyl-C1-C3alkyl, or is substituted by a 3- to 6-membered heterocycyl containing at least one heteroatom selected from O and N, or is substituted by a 3- to 6-membered heterocyclyl-C1-C3alkyl containing at least one heteroatom selected from O and N, or is substituted by a spiro- C3-C6cycloalkyl or a spiro- 3- to 8-membered saturated heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O)p, or is bridged by a -O-CH2- group, or Q is a 6- to 10-membered bicyclic heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O)p, p is 0, 1 or 2, and
G is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 alkenyl, C3-C6alkynyl, an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, a sulfonium, ammonium or latentiating group.
2. Compounds according to claim 1, wherein R1 is methyl, ethyl, cyclopropyl or methoxy.
3. Compounds according to claim 1, wherein R2and R3 are independently hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6alkyI, C1-C6alkoxy, C2-C6alkenyl, C2-C6alkynyl, phenyl or phenyl substituted by C1-C4alkyl, C1-C3haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, halogen or C1-C3alkylsulfonyl.
4. Compounds according to claim 1, wherein R4is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, chlorine, bromine,
vinyl, ethynyl or methoxy.
5. Compounds according to claim 1, wherein R5 is hydrogen.
6. Compounds according to claim 1, wherein one of R6 and R7 is hydrogen or both of R6 and R7 are hydrogen.
7. Compounds according to claim 1, wherein G is hydrogen, an alkali metal or alkaline earth
metal.
8. Compounds according to claim 1, wherein Q is a group of the formula
(Formula Removed)
wherein R is C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxy C1-2 alkyl or C3-6 cycloalkyl, n is 0 to 4 and -A denotes the position of attachment to the methylene moiety -CR5R6-.
9. Compounds according to claim 8, wherein Q is a group Q1, Q2, Q5, Q6, Q7, Q25, Q26, Q27, Q28,
Q29, Q34, Q42 or Q43.
10. Compounds according to claim 8, wherein R is methyl or ethyl.
11. Compounds according to claim 8, wherein n is 0, 1 or 2.
12.Compounds according to claim 1, wherein R1 is methyl, ethyl or methoxy,
R2and R3 are independently hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6alkyl, phenyl, phenyl substituted by C1-
C4alkyl, C1-C3haloalkyl, C1-C3alkoxy, C1-C3alkoxy- C1-C3alkoxy, C1-C3haloalkoxy, aminocarbonyl,
cyano or halogen, or phenyl wherein 2 adjacent carbon atoms are bridged by a -0-CH2-0- or
-O-CH2-CH2-O- group, or heteroaryl or heteroaryl substituted by C1-C3alkoxy or cyclopropyl- C1-
C3alkoxy,
R4 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl,
R5 is hydrogen,
R6 and R7 are independently hydrogen or methyl,
Q is a 5- to 7-membered saturated heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from
O and S(O)p, or Q is a 5- to 7-membered saturated or mono-unsaturated heterocycle containing
at least one heteroatom selected from O and S(O)p, which is substituted by C1-C4alkyl or C1-
C4alkoxy- C1-C2alkyl, or is substituted by a 5- to 6-membered heterocycyl containing at least one
O atom, or is substituted by a 5- to 6-membered heterocyclyl-C1-C3alkyl containing at least one O
atom, or is substituted by a spiro- C3-C6cycloalkyl or a spiro- 5- to 6-membered saturated
heterocycle containing at least one O atom, or Q is a 8- to 10-membered bicyclic heterocycle
containing at least one O atom,
p is 0, 1 or 2, and
G is hydrogen.
13. A process for the preparation of a compound of formula I according to claim 1, wherein G is hydrogen, which comprises reacting an iodonium ylide of Formula (AG),
(Formula Removed)
wherein Ar is an optionally substituted phenyl group and R5, R6 and R7 are as defined in claim 1, and an aryl boronic acid of Formula (AH)
(Formula Removed)
wherein R1 to R4 are as defined in claim 1, in the presence of a palladium catalyst, a base and in a solvent.
14. A process for the preparation of a compound of formula I according to claim 1, wherein G is hydrogen, which comprises reacting a compound of formula (Q)
(Formula Removed)
wherein R5 to R7 are as defined in claim 1, with a compound of formula (AR)
(Formula Removed)
wherein R1 to R4 are as defined in claim 1, in the presence of a ligand and in a solvent. 15.Compounds of formula (Q)
(Formula Removed)
wherein
R5 is hydrogen or methyl,
R6 and R7 are independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, C3-C6cycloalkyl, halogen, halomethyl,
haloethyl, halogen, methoxy, halomethoxy, haloethoxy, or together R6 and R7 are joined to form
together with the carbon atom to which they are attached a 3 -7 membered ring or a 3 -7
membered ring substituted by one or two methyl groups,
Q is a 3- to 8-membered saturated or mono-unsaturated heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O and S(O)p, or Q is a 3- to 8-membered saturated or mono-unsaturated heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O and S(O)p, which is substituted by =0, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy- C1-C2alkyl, C3-C6cycloalkyl or C3-C6cycloalkyl-C1-C3alkyl, or is substituted by a 3- to 6-memebered heterocycyl containing at least one heteroatom selected from O and N, or is substituted by a 3- to 6-membered heterocyclyl-C1-C3alkyl containing at least one heteroatom selected from O and N, or is substituted by a spiro- C3-C6cycloalkyl or a spiro- 3- to 8-membered saturated heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O)p, or is bridged by a -0-CH2- group, or Q is a 6- to 10-membered bicyclic heterocycle containing at least one heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O)p, and p is 0, 1 or 2.
16. A method of controlling grasses and weeds in crops of useful plants, which comprises
applying a herbicidally effective amount of a compound of formula I, or of a composition
comprising such a compound, to the plants or to the locus thereof.
17. A herbicidal composition, which comprises a herbicidally effective amount of a compound of
formula I, and optionally a further herbicide as mixing partner or a safener or both.