NEW (THIO)GLYCOLIC ACID DERIVATIVE AND ITS SALT AND HERBICIDE CONTAINING THE SAME AS ACTIVE INGREDIENT

PURPOSE:To obtain a new compound, having high herbicidal activity and useful as a herbicide excellent in safety for crops. CONSTITUTION:A compound, e.g. methyl 2-(2-methylthio-6-methoxypyrimidinyl-4- oxy)-3-methylbutanoate expressed by formula I (R is lower alkyl, lower cycloalkyl, etc.; X is lower alkyl, halogen-substituted lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, etc.; Y is lower alkoxy, lower alkenoxy, lower alkynoxy, etc.; W is lower alkyl; Z is O or S). Furthermore, the compound expressed by formula I is obtained by reacting a mixture of an alkyl iodide expressed by formula II with a substituted thioglycolic acid expressed by formula III in the presence of a base such as sodium carbonate in an organic solvent such as methanol at a temperature within the range of cooling with ice to the boiling point of the solvent for 1-48hr. The content of the compound expressed by formula I in a herbicide is preferably 1-80wt.% depending on the form of the formulation.