Pflanzenmorphoregulatorisch wirksame Mittel

Plants are treated with a 9-cyano-fluorene or fluorenyl-9-nitrate compound of the formula wherein R1 and R2 are H or halogen, R3 is CN or ONO2, R4 is H, OH, CH2OR6 or CO2R6, R5 is H or CO2R6, and R6 is H or C1-4 alkyl. A treating composition may be in the form of a powder (together with a solid filler), solution, or emulsion. Other plant-growth regulants may be present. missing page 188ALSO:The invention comprises fluorine derivatives of formula wherein R1 and R2 are -H or halogen, R3 i -CN or -ONO2, R4 is -H, -OH, -CH2OR6 or -COOR6, R5 is -H or COOR6, and R6 is -H or C1- 4 alkyl, excluding 9-cyanofluorene, and fluorene-9-cyanhydrin carboxylic acid-(1)-ethyl ester and provided that (1) when R3 is -CN and R4 is OH simultaneously, R5 is -COOR6 and (2) when R3 is -ONO2 R4 is not -OH. The compounds may be prepared by introduction of a cyanide group by dehydration of the corresponding 9-carboxamide or by reaction of the corresponding 9-halo-derivative with HCN or a metal cyanide; by introduction of a nitrate group by reaction of the corresponding 9-chloroderivatives with silver nitrate; by introduction of a cyanhydrin group by reaction of the corresponding fluorence with HCN or metal cyanides; by introduction of the group -CH2OH at R4 by reaction of the corresponding compounds in which R4 is -H, with formaldehyde or agents which yield formaldehyde; by introduction of halogen atoms at R1 and/or R2 by reaction of the corresponding unsubstituted compounds with a halogen; or by esterifying or etherifying compounds in which R6 is hydrogen using conventional techniques.ALSO:Plant morphology regulating compositions comprise one or more compounds of formula: wherein R1 and R2 are -H or halogen, R3 is -CN or -ONO2, R4 is -H, -OH, -CH2OR6 or -COOR6, R5 is -H or -COOR6 and R6 is -H or C1-4 alkyl provided that (i) when R1 and R2 are H and R3 is CN, R4 and R5 are neither both H nor is R4 OH and R5 -COOC2H5 simultaneously, (ii) when R3 is -CN and R4 is OH sumiltaneously R5 is COOR6, and (iii) when R3 is ONO2 R4 is not OH, and one more liquid or solid non phytotoxic diluents if desired in combination with one or more specified herbicidal and/or growth regulators. Numerous herbicidal substances are specified and specified additives and fillers may also be incorporated.