CYCLOHEXANE DIONE DERIVATIVES, THEIR USE AS HERBICIDES, HERBICIDAL COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING THEM, AND METHODS OF PREPARING THEM

The invention concerns novel compounds of the formulawherein:X is selected from halogen, nitro, cyano, alkyl, substituted alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkenyloxy, alkynyloxy, acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, sulfamoyl, substituted sulfamoyl, amino, substituted amino, and the groups formyl and, alkanoyl and the oxime, imine and Schiff base derivatives thereof;R' is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, acyl and an inorganic or organic cation;R2 is selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, haloalkenyl, alkynyl and haloalkynyl;R3 is selected from alkyl, fluoroalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and phenyl;m is an integer chosen from 3 to 5.The compounds of the invention show herbicidal properties and plant growth regulating properties and in further embodiments the invention provides processes for the preparation of compounds of formula l, intermediates useful in the preparation of the compounds of formula l, compositions containing as active ingredient a compound of formula l, and herbicidal and plant growth regulating process utilizing compounds of formula I.