NOVEL PHENOXY-PHENOXY PROPIONIC ACID AMIDES AND THEIR USE AS HERBICIDES

1. Claims for the Contracting states : BE, CH, DE, FR, GB, IT, NL Phenoxy-phenoxy-propionic acid amides of the general formula I see diagramm : EP0011802,P11,F6 in which R1 is halogen, NO2 , CN and/or CF3 ; n is 1 or 2 ; R2 is hydrogen or (C1 -C4 )alkyl ; R3 is (C3 -C6 )alkenyl, (C3 -C6 )alkinyl, hydroxy-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, (C1 -C4 )alkoxy-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, di-(C1 -C4 )alkylamino-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, cyano-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, (C1 -C4 )alkylthio-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, (C5 -C6 )cycloalkyl, methylcyclohexyl, phenyl-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, pyridyl or pyrimidyl ; or R2 and R3 together with the adjacent N-atom form a 4 to 7-membered ring in which up to 2 carbon atoms can be replaced by N and/or O. 1. Claims for the Contracting state : AT Process for the preparation of phenoxy-phenoxy-propionic acid amides of the general formula I see diagramm : EP0011802,P13,F1 in which R1 is halogen, NO2 , CN and/or CF3 ; n is 1 or 2 ; R2 is hydrogen or (C1 -C4 )alkyl ; R3 is (C3 -C6 )alkenyl, (C3 -C6 )alkinyl, hydroxy-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, (C1 -C4 )alkoxy-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, di-(C1 -C4 )alkylamino-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, cyano-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, (C1 -C4 )alkylthio-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, (C5 -C6 )cycloalkyl, methylcyclohexyl, phenyl-(C1 -C4 )alkyl, pyridyl or pyrimidyl ; or R2 and R3 together with the adjacent N-atom form a 4 to 7-membered ring in which up to 2 carbon atoms can be replaced by N and/or O, which comprises reacting a) phenoxy-phenoxy-propionic acid halides of the formula see diagramm : EP0011802,P13,F2 or phenoxy-phenoxy-propionic acid esters of the formula see diagramm : EP0011802,P13,F3 in which R is (C1 -C8 )alkyl, with amine of the formula see diagramm : EP0011802,P13,F4 or b) reacting 3-hydroxy-4-nitro-diphenyl ethers of the formula see diagramm : EP0011802,P13,F5 or correspondings phenolates, with halo-propionic acid amides of the formula see diagramm : EP0011802,P14,F1 in which Hal is chlorine or bromine, optionally in the presence of acid-binding agents.