The present invention relates to novel herbicidal cyclohexanedione compounds, to processes for their preparation, to herbicidal compositions which comprise the novel compounds, and to their use for controlling weeds.

Herbicidal cyclic dione compounds substituted by a phenyl which has various substituents are disclosed in, for example, W02008/110308, WO2014/191534 and WO2015/197468. The present invention relates to novel herbicidal cyclohexanedione derivatives with improved properties.

Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a compound of Formula (I)

wherein

R ¹ is selected from the group consisting of 1-propynyl, phenyl and a 5 or 6 membered heteroaryl which comprises one or two nitrogen heteroatoms, said phenyl and heteroaryl optionally substituted by one or two R ¹⁵ substituents;

R ² is methyl, ethyl, methoxy or chloro;

R ³ is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, methoxy and chloro; m is 0 or 1 ; r is 0 or 1 ; R ^4x is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, hydroxyl, methoxy and halogen;

R ^4y is selected from the group consisting of R4 ^a , R4 ^b and R4 ^C :

R ^4a R ^4b R ^4c

R ^4aa is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl and Ci- Cealkoxy-;

R ^4ab is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CrCealkyl, C2- Cealkenyl, C2-C6alkynyl, CrCehaloalkyl, hydroxy-, hydroxyCi-Cealkyl-, Ci- Cealkoxy, C3-C6cycloalkyl, -Ci-C4alkoxyCi-Cealkyl, -Ci-CsalkoxyCrCehaloalkyl, cyanoCrCealkyl-, C(0)R ²⁷ , S(0) _n R ²⁷ , phenyl, -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 haloalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, C2-C3 alkenyl, C2-C3 alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro; or

R ^4aa and R ^4ab together form -(CH ₂ ) _q -, -CH2CH ₂ X ¹ CH ₂ CH2- or - C(0)CH ₂ X ¹ CH ₂ CH ₂ - wherein X ¹ is selected from the group consisting of O, S(0) _n and N-R ²⁸ ; and

R ^4ba is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl and Ci- C4alkoxy-;

R ^4bb is selected from the group consisting of CrC4alkyl, Ci-C4alkoxy-, Ci- C4haloalkyl, -C(0)CrC ₄ alkyl, -C(0)CrC ₄ haloalkyl, hydroxyCi-C ₆ alkyl-C(0)-, - S(0)nCi-Cealkyl, -S(0) _n Ci-C ₆ haloalkyl, -S(0)n-(CH ₂ )n-C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, S(0)nC(R ¹¹ )R ¹² R ¹³ , -C(0)H, -C(0)-(CH ₂ )n-C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, -C(0)C(R ¹¹ )R ¹² R ¹³ , -C(0)C ₂ -C ₄ alkenyl, -C(O)(CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )CN, -C(O)(CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )(CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )CN,

C(0)CH ₂ C(0)-Ci-C ₆ alkyl, -C^CHzOC^-C Cealkyl, -C(0)OCrC ₆ alkyl, - C(0)OCi-C ₆ haloalkyl, -C(0)(CH ₂ )nS(0)nC ₁ -C ₆ alkyl -C^CrCsalkoxyCr Cealkyl, -C(0)Ci-C ₃ alkoxyC ₂ -Cealkenyl, -C(0)Ci-C ₃ alkoxyC ₂ -Cealkynyl, - C(0)Ci-C ₃ alkoxyCi-Cehaloalkyl, -C(0)Ci-C ₃ alkoxyC ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, -C(0)OCi-

C(0)C(R ²³ )=N-NR ²⁵ R ²⁶ , -(CH ₂ ) _n -phenyl, -C(0)-(CH ₂ ) _n -phenyl, -S(0) _n -(CH ₂ ) _n - phenyl, -heterocyclyl, -C(0)-(CH ₂ ) _n -heterocyclyl, -C(0)(CH ₂ ) _n 0-(CH ₂ ) _n - heterocyclyl, -S(0) _n -(CH ₂ ) _n -heterocyclyl, wherein each heterocyclyl is a 5- or 6- membered heterocyclyl which may be aromatic, saturated or partially saturated and can contain from 1 to 4 heteroatoms each independently selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur, and wherein said heterocyclyl or phenyl groups are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of CrC ₃ alkyl, CrCshaloalkyl, CrCsalkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ⁵ is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl;

R ⁶ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CrCealkyl, C ₂ -C ₆ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₆ alkynyl, CrCehaloalkyl, hydroxyl-, CrCealkoxy, C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, , -Ci- C ₄ alkoxyCrC ₆ alkyl, -Ci-CsalkoxyCrCehaloalkyl, -(CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )Ci-C ₆ haloalkyl, - (CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )C(O)NR ⁵ R ⁵ , phenyl, -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 haloalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro; or

R ⁵ and R ⁶ together form -CH ₂ CH ₂ OCH ₂ CH ₂ -; and

R ⁷ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl;

R ⁸ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₆ alkoxy, C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, phenyl, -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 haloalkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ⁹ is hydrogen or methyl; R ^{1 0} is hydrogen or methyl; or

R ⁹ and R ^{1 0} together form -CH ₂ CH ₂ -; and R ^{1 1} is hydrogen or methyl;

R ^{1 2} is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl, hydroxyl and C ₁ -C ₆ alkoxy-;

R ^{1 3} is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl, hydroxyl and C ₁ -C ₆ alkoxy; or

R ^{1 2} and R ^{1 3} together form -CH ₂ -X ² -CH ₂ - wherein X ² is selected from the group consisting of O, S and N-R ¹⁴ ; and

R ^{1 4} is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₃ alkyl and C ₁ -C ₃ alkoxy-;

R ^{1 5} is independently selected from the group consisting of C ₁ -C ₄ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₄ haloalkyl, cyano and halogen;

R ^{1 6} is hydrogen or CrCealkyl; and

R ¹⁷ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CrCealkyl, C ₃ - Cecycloalkyl, CrCe alkoxy-CrCsalkyl-, -C(0)CrCealkyl, -C(0)OCrCealkyl and CH ₂ CN; or

R ^{1 6} and R ^{1 7} together form -CH2CH2OCH2CH2-, -CH ₂ CH2S(0)2CH ₂ CH2-; and R ^{1 8} is hydrogen or CrCealkyl;

R ¹⁹ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₆ alkoxy, C ₃ -Cecycloalkyl, phenyl, -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C ₁ -C ₃ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ haloalkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ alkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro; R ²⁰ is selected from the group consisting of CrCealkyl, CrCehaloalkyl, Cr Cealkoxy-, CrCehaloalkoxy, -NR ²¹ R ²² , phenyl and -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C ₁ -C ₃ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ haloalkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ alkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ²¹ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₆ alkoxy, Ci-C ₆ alkoxyCi-C ₃ alkyl-, C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, CrCehaloalkyl- and Cr Cehaloalkoxy-, -C(0)CrCealkyl, phenyl, -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C ₁ -C ₃ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ haloalkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ alkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro; R ²² is hydrogen or CrCealkyl; or

R ²¹ and R ²² together form -CH ₂ CH ₂ OCH ₂ CH ₂ -; and

R ²³ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CrCealkyl, Cr Cehaloalkyl, CrCealkoxy- and CrCehaloalkoxy-;

R ²⁴ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CrCealkyl, Cr C ₆ alkoxyCrC ₃ alkyl-, C ₃ -Cecycloalkyl, -CH ₂ CN, tetrahydropyranyl-, phenyl and -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Cr Cealkyl, CrCehaloalkyl, CrCealkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ²⁵ is hydrogen or CrCe alkyl;

R ²⁶ is hydrogen or CrCe alkyl; and

R ^4ca is selected from hydrogen, CrCealkyl, C2-Cealkenyl, C ₂ -Cealkynyl, Cr Cehaloalkyl, hydroxyl-, CrCealkoxy, C ₃ -Cecycloalkyl, -Ci-C ₄ alkoxyCrCealkyl, - Ci-C ₃ alkoxyCrCehaloalkyl, cyanoC1-C6alkyl-. C(0)R ²⁷ , S(0) _n R ²⁷ , phenyl, - pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Cr C ₃ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ haloalkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ alkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ^4cb is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CrCe alkyl and Cr Cealkoxy-; or R ^4ca and R ^4cb together form -(CH ₂ ) _q -, -CH ₂ CH ₂ X ¹ CH ₂ CH ₂ - or - C(0)CH ₂ X ¹ CH ₂ CH ₂ - wherein X ¹ is selected from the group consisting of O, S(0) _n and N-R ²⁸ ;

R ²⁷ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₆ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₆ haloalkyl, C ₂ -C ₆ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₆ alkynyl, C ₁ -C ₆ alkoxy, C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, phenyl, -pyridyl, wherein the phenyl and pyridyl are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ci- C ₃ alkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ haloalkyl, C ₁ -C ₃ alkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ²⁸ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C ₁ -C ₃ alkyl, -C(0)Ci- Csalkyl and C ₁ -C ₃ alkoxy-; q is 3, 4 or 5; and

G is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, -(CH ₂ ) _n -R ^a , -C(0)-R ^a , - C(0)-(CR ^c R ^d ) _n -0-R ^b , -C(0)-(CR ^c R ^d ) _n -S-R ^b , -C(0)NR ^a R ^a , -S(0) ₂ -R ^a and Cr Csalkoxy-CrCsalkyl-;

R ^a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, Ci- Csalkyl, CrCshaloalkyl, C ₂ -Csalkenyl, C ₂ -Csalkynyl, C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl and phenyl wherein said heterocyclyl and phenyl groups are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of C Csalkyl, CrCshaloalkyl, CrCsalkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ^b is selected from the group consisting of CrCsalkyl, CrCshaloalkyl, C ₂ - Csalkenyl, C ₂ -Csalkynyl, C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl and phenyl wherein said heterocyclyl and phenyl groups are optionally substituted by one, two or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of Ci- Csalkyl, CrCshaloalkyl, CrCsalkoxy, C ₂ -C ₃ alkenyl, C ₂ -C ₃ alkynyl, halogen, cyano and nitro;

R ^c is hydrogen or C ₁ -C ₃ alkyl;

R ^d is hydrogen or C ₁ -C ₃ alkyl; and n is independently 0, 1 or 2; or an agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.

Alkyl groups (e.g CrCealkyl) include, for example, methyl (Me, CH ₃ ), ethyl (Et, C2H5), n-propyl (n-Pr), isopropyl (/-Pr), n-butyl (n-Bu), isobutyl (/- Bu), sec-butyl (s-Bu) and tert- butyl (f-Bu).

Alkenyl and alkynyl moieties can be in the form of straight or branched chains, and the alkenyl moieties, where appropriate, can be of either the (£)- or (Z)-configuration. Examples are vinyl, allyl and propargyl. Alkenyl and alkynyl moieties can contain one or more double and/or triple bonds in any combination.

Halogen (or halo) encompasses fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine. The same correspondingly applies to halogen in the context of other definitions, such as haloalkyl.

Haloalkyl groups (e.g CrCehaloalkyl) are, for example, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, chloromethyl, dichloromethyl, trichloromethyl, 2,2,2- trifluoroethyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 2-chloroethyl, pentafluoroethyl, 1 , 1 -difluoro-2,2,2- trichloroethyl, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoroethyl and 2,2,2-trichloroethyl, heptafluoro-n-propyl and peril uoro-n-hexyl.

Alkoxy groups (e.g Ci-C4alkoxy-) are, for example, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, isopropoxy, n-butoxy, isobutoxy, sec-butoxy or tert-butoxy, preferably methoxy and ethoxy.

Alkoxyalkyl groups (e.g Ci-Csalkoxy-CrCsalkyl-) includes, for example, methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, ethoxymethyl, ethoxyethyl, n-propoxymethyl, n- propoxyethyl, isopropoxymethyl or isopropoxyethyl.

Cycloalkyl groups (e.g C3-C6cycloalkyl-) include, for example cyclopropyl (c- propyl, c-Pr), cyclobutyl (c-butyl, c-Bu), cyclopentyl (c-pentyl) and cyclohexyl (c-hexyl) and may be substituted or unsubstituted as indicated. CrC ₆ alkyl-S- (alkylthio) is, for example, methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio, isopropylthio, n-butylthio, isobutylthio, sec-butylthio or tert-butylthio, preferably methylthio or ethylthio.

Ci-C ₆ alkyl-S(0)- (alkylsulfinyl) is, for example, methylsulfinyl, ethylsulfinyl, propylsulfinyl, isopropylsulfinyl, n-butylsulfinyl, isobutylsulfinyl, sec-butylsulfinyl or tert-butylsulfinyl, preferably methylsulfinyl or ethylsulfinyl.

CrC ₆ alkyl-S(0) ₂ - (alkylsulfonyl) is, for example, methylsulfonyl, ethylsulfonyl, propylsulfonyl, isopropylsulfonyl, n-butylsulfonyl, isobutylsulfonyl, sec-butylsulfonyl or tert-butylsulfonyl, preferably methylsulfonyl or ethylsulfonyl.

Heterocyclyl, unless stated otherwise, is a 5- or 6- membered heterocyclyl which may be aromatic, saturated or partially saturated and can contain from 1 to 4 heteroatoms each independently selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur.

The invention also relates agriculturally acceptable salts of the compounds of Formula (I). Such salts include those which are able to form with amines, alkali metal and alkaline earth metal bases or quaternary ammonium bases. Among the alkali metal and alkaline earth metal hydroxides as salt formers, special mention should be made of the hydroxides of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, but especially the hydroxides of sodium and potassium. The compounds of Formula (I) according to the invention also include hydrates which may be formed during the salt formation.

Examples of amines suitable for ammonium salt formation include ammonia as well as primary, secondary and tertiary CrCisalkylamines, Ci- C4hydroxyalkylamines and C2-C4alkoxyalkylamines, for example methylamine, ethylamine, n-propylamine, isopropylamine, the four butylamine isomers, n- amylamine, isoamylamine, hexylamine, heptylamine, octylamine, nonylamine, decylamine, pentadecylamine, hexadecylamine, heptadecylamine, octadecylamine, methylethylamine, methylisopropylamine, methylhexylamine, methylnonylamine, methylpentadecylamine, methyloctadecylamine, ethylbutylamine, ethylheptylamine, ethyloctylamine, hexylheptylamine, hexyloctylamine, dimethylamine, diethylamine, di- n-propylamine, diisopropylamine, di-n-butylamine, di-n-amylamine, diisoamylamine, dihexylamine, diheptylamine, dioctylamine, ethanolamine, n-propanolamine, isopropanolamine, A/./V-diethanolamine, /V-ethylpropanolamine, /V-butylethanolamine, allylamine, n-but-2-enylamine, n-pent-2-enylamine, 2,3-dimethylbut-2-enylamine, dibut-2-enylamine, n-hex-2-enylamine, propylenediamine, trimethylamine, triethylamine, tri-n-propylamine, triisopropylamine, tri-n-butylamine, triisobutyla ine, tri-sec-butylamine, tri-n-amylamine, methoxyethylamine and ethoxyethylamine; heterocyclic amines, for example pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline, morpholine, piperidine, pyrrolidine, indoline, quinuclidine and azepine; primary arylamines, for example anilines, methoxyanilines, ethoxyanilines, o-, m- and p-toluidines, phenylenediamines, benzidines, naphthylamines and o-, m- and p-chloroanilines; but especially triethylamine, isopropylamine and diisopropylamine.

In one embodiment of the present invention R ¹ is 1-propynyl.

In another embodiment of the present invention R ¹ is phenyl optionally substituted by one or two R ¹⁵ substituents, e.g selected from the group consisting of cyano, chloro and fluoro.

In another embodiment of the present invention R ¹ is a 5 or 6 membered heteroaryl which comprises one or two nitrogen heteroatoms, said heteroaryl optionally substituted by one or two R ¹⁵ substituents, e.g selected from the group consisting of cyano, chloro and fluoro. In a preferred embodiment, said heteroaryl is selected from the group consisting of pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, and pyrazolyl.

In one embodiment of the present invention R ² is preferably methyl.

In one embodiment of the present invention R ³ is methyl.

In another embodiment of the present invention R ³ is methoxy.

In one embodiment of the present invention m is 1 and r is 0. In another embodiment of the present invention m is 0 and r is 0. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention m is 1 and r is 1.

In one embodiment of the present invention, R ^4x is hydrogen or methyl, most preferably hydrogen. In one embodiment of the present invention, R ^4y is R ^4a . In this embodiment R ^4aa is preferably hydrogen or methyl and R ^4ab is preferably selected from the group consisting of C Cealkyl (e.g methyl, f-butyl), pyridyl, -C(0)CH2X ¹ CH2CH2- (wherein X ¹ is O), -CH2CH ₂ X ¹ CH ₂ CH2- (wherein X ¹ is O, N-R ²⁸ wherein R ²⁸ is -C(0)CrC ₃ alkyl (preferablky methyl), or S(0) _n wherein n is 2), hydroxyCi-Cealkyl- (e.g HO-CH2CH2-), CrCealkoxy (e.g MeO), -Ci-C4alkoxyCrC6alkyl (e.g CH ₃ OCH2CH2-) and cyanoCr Cealkyl- (e.g -C(CH ₃ )(C ₂ H ₅ )(CN).

In another embodiment of the present invention R ^4y is R ^4b _. In this embodiment R ^4ba is preferably hydrogen or methyl and R ^4bb is selected from the group consisting of -C(0)Ci-C ₄ alkyi (e.g -C(0)CH ₃ , -C(O)f-butyl), -C(0)-(CH ₂ ) _n -C ₃ -C ₆ cycloalkyl (e.g - C(O)-cyclopropyl), -C(0)-heterocyclyl (e.g pyridyl), -C(0)-(CH ₂ ) _n -phenyl, C(0)(CH ₂ ) _n NR ⁵ R ⁶ , -C(0)Ci-C ₃ alkoxyCi-C6haloalkyl (e.g CHF2-O-CH2-), -

C(O)(CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )CN (e.g -C(0)CH ₂ CN), -C(O)(CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )(CR ⁹ R ¹⁰ )CN (e.g -

C(0)CH ₂ CH ₂ CN), -C(0)Ci-C ₄ haloaikyl (e.g -C(0)CHF ₂ ), hydroxyCi-C ₆ alkyl-C(0)- (e.g HOCH(CH ₃ )C(0)-), -C(0)CH ₂ 0C(0)-Ci-C ₆ alkyl (e.g CH ₃ 0CH ₂ C(0)-) and -C(O)- (CH ₂ ) _n -NR ⁷ C(0)R ⁸ .

In one embodiment, each aforementioned heterocyclyl is an aromatic heterocyclyl (i.e heteroaryl), more preferably selected from the group consisting of furanyl, pyrrolyl, thiophenyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, pyranyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, and triazolyl more preferably selected from the group consisting of pyridyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl and pyrazinyl each of which is optionally substituted as defined previously. In another embodiment, each aforementioned heterocyclyl is a partially saturated heterocyclyl, more preferably selected from the group consisting of imidazolinyl, isoxazolinyl and thiazolinyl each of which is optionally substituted as defined previously. In another embodiment, each aforementioned heterocyclyl is a saturated heterocyclyl more preferably selected from the group consisting of morpholinyl, tetrahydrofuryl and tetrahydropyranyl each of which is optionally substituted as defined previously.

In one embodiment of the present invention R ⁵ is hydrogen or methyl, preferably hydrogen.

In one embodiment of the present invention R ⁶ is C1-C6 alkyl (e.g methyl) or pyridyl. In one embodiment of the present invention R ⁷ is hydrogen or methyl, preferably hydrogen.

In one embodiment of the present invention R ⁸ is C1-C6 alkyl (e.g f-butyl) or pyridyl.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention R ⁹ is hydrogen.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention R ¹⁰ is hydrogen.

In one embodiment of the present invention, G is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, CrCsalkyl (e.g methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, /-propyl, n-butyl, f-butyl, -C2-Csalkenyl (e.g vinyl), C2-Csalkynyl (e.g propargyl), -C(0)Ci-Csalkyl (more preferably -C(0)Ci-C ₆ alkyl e.g -C(0)/-propyl and -C(O)f-butyl) and -C(0)-0-Ci- Csalkyl (more preferably -C(0)-0-Ci-C ₆ alkyl e.g -C(O)-O-methyl). In a preferred embodiment, G is hydrogen.

Depending on the nature of the substituents, compounds of Formula (I) may exist in different isomeric forms. When G is hydrogen, for example, compounds of Formula (I) may exist in different tautomeric forms.

This invention covers all such isomers and tautomers and mixtures thereof in all proportions. Also, when substituents contain double bonds, cis- and trans- isomers can exist. These isomers, too, are within the scope of the claimed compounds of the Formula (I). Compounds of Formula (I) may contain asymmetric centres and may be present as a single enantiomer, pairs of enantiomers in any proportion or, where more than one asymmetric centre are present, contain diastereoisomers in all possible ratios. Typically one of the enantiomers has enhanced biological activity compared to the other possibilities.

The compounds of Formula (I) according to the invention can be used as herbicides by themselves, but they are generally formulated into herbicidal compositions using formulation adjuvants, such as carriers, solvents and surface- active agents (SFAs). Thus, the present invention further provides a herbicidal composition comprising a herbicidal compound according to any one of the previous claims and an agriculturally acceptable formulation adjuvant. The composition can be in the form of concentrates which are diluted prior to use, although ready-to-use compositions can also be made. The final dilution is usually made with water, but can be made instead of, or in addition to, water, with, for example, liquid fertilisers, micronutrients, biological organisms, oil or solvents.

The herbicidal compositions generally comprise from 0.1 to 99 % by weight, especially from 0.1 to 95 % by weight, compounds of Formula (I) and from 1 to 99.9 % by weight of a formulation adjuvant which preferably includes from 0 to 25 % by weight of a surface-active substance.

The compositions can be chosen from a number of formulation types, many of which are known from the Manual on Development and Use of FAO Specifications for Plant Protection Products, 5th Edition, 1999. These include dustable powders (DP), soluble powders (SP), water soluble granules (SG), water dispersible granules (WG), wettable powders (WP), granules (GR) (slow or fast release), soluble concentrates (SL), oil miscible liquids (OL), ultra low volume liquids (UL), emulsifiable concentrates (EC), dispersible concentrates (DC), emulsions (both oil in water (EW) and water in oil (EO)), micro-emulsions (ME), suspension concentrates (SC), aerosols, capsule suspensions (CS) and seed treatment formulations. The formulation type chosen in any instance will depend upon the particular purpose envisaged and the physical, chemical and biological properties of the compound of Formula (I).

Dustable powders (DP) may be prepared by mixing a compound of Formula (I) with one or more solid diluents (for example natural clays, kaolin, pyrophyllite, bentonite, alumina, montmorillonite, kieselguhr, chalk, diatomaceous earths, calcium phosphates, calcium and magnesium carbonates, sulphur, lime, flours, talc and other organic and inorganic solid carriers) and mechanically grinding the mixture to a fine powder.

Soluble powders (SP) may be prepared by mixing a compound of Formula (I) with one or more water-soluble inorganic salts (such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate or magnesium sulphate) or one or more water-soluble organic solids (such as a polysaccharide) and, optionally, one or more wetting agents, one or more dispersing agents or a mixture of said agents to improve water dispersibility/solubility. The mixture is then ground to a fine powder. Similar compositions may also be granulated to form water soluble granules (SG).

Wettable powders (WP) may be prepared by mixing a compound of Formula (I) with one or more solid diluents or carriers, one or more wetting agents and, preferably, one or more dispersing agents and, optionally, one or more suspending agents to facilitate the dispersion in liquids. The mixture is then ground to a fine powder. Similar compositions may also be granulated to form water dispersible granules (WG).

Granules (GR) may be formed either by granulating a mixture of a compound of Formula (I) and one or more powdered solid diluents or carriers, or from pre formed blank granules by absorbing a compound of Formula (I) (or a solution thereof, in a suitable agent) in a porous granular material (such as pumice, attapulgite clays, fuller's earth, kieselguhr, diatomaceous earths or ground corn cobs) or by adsorbing a compound of Formula (I) (or a solution thereof, in a suitable agent) on to a hard core material (such as sands, silicates, mineral carbonates, sulphates or phosphates) and drying if necessary. Agents which are commonly used to aid absorption or adsorption include solvents (such as aliphatic and aromatic petroleum solvents, alcohols, ethers, ketones and esters) and sticking agents (such as polyvinyl acetates, polyvinyl alcohols, dextrins, sugars and vegetable oils). One or more other additives may also be included in granules (for example an emulsifying agent, wetting agent or dispersing agent).

Dispersible Concentrates (DC) may be prepared by dissolving a compound of Formula (I) in water or an organic solvent, such as a ketone, alcohol or glycol ether. These solutions may contain a surface-active agent (for example to improve water dilution or prevent crystallisation in a spray tank).

Emulsifiable concentrates (EC) or oil-in-water emulsions (EW) may be prepared by dissolving a compound of Formula (I) in an organic solvent (optionally containing one or more wetting agents, one or more emulsifying agents or a mixture of said agents). Suitable organic solvents for use in ECs include aromatic hydrocarbons (such as alkylbenzenes or alkylnaphthalenes, exemplified by SOLVESSO 100, SOLVESSO 150 and SOLVESSO 200; SOLVESSO is a Registered Trade Mark), ketones (such as cyclohexanone or methylcyclohexanone) and alcohols (such as benzyl alcohol, furfuryl alcohol or butanol), N-alkylpyrrolidones (such as N-methylpyrrolidone or N-octylpyrrolidone), dimethyl amides of fatty acids (such as Cs-Cio fatty acid dimethylamide) and chlorinated hydrocarbons. An EC product may spontaneously emulsify on addition to water, to produce an emulsion with sufficient stability to allow spray application through appropriate equipment.

Preparation of an EW involves obtaining a compound of Formula (I) either as a liquid (if it is not a liquid at room temperature, it may be melted at a reasonable temperature, typically below 70°C) or in solution (by dissolving it in an appropriate solvent) and then emulsifying the resultant liquid or solution into water containing one or more SFAs, under high shear, to produce an emulsion. Suitable solvents for use in EWs include vegetable oils, chlorinated hydrocarbons (such as chlorobenzenes), aromatic solvents (such as alkylbenzenes or alkylnaphthalenes) and other appropriate organic solvents which have a low solubility in water.

Microemulsions (ME) may be prepared by mixing water with a blend of one or more solvents with one or more SFAs, to produce spontaneously a thermodynamically stable isotropic liquid formulation. A compound of Formula (I) is present initially in either the water or the solvent/SFA blend. Suitable solvents for use in MEs include those hereinbefore described for use in in ECs or in EWs. An ME may be either an oil-in-water or a water-in-oil system (which system is present may be determined by conductivity measurements) and may be suitable for mixing water- soluble and oil-soluble pesticides in the same formulation. An ME is suitable for dilution into water, either remaining as a microemulsion or forming a conventional oil- in-water emulsion.

Suspension concentrates (SC) may comprise aqueous or non-aqueous suspensions of finely divided insoluble solid particles of a compound of Formula (I). SCs may be prepared by ball or bead milling the solid compound of Formula (I) in a suitable medium, optionally with one or more dispersing agents, to produce a fine particle suspension of the compound. One or more wetting agents may be included in the composition and a suspending agent may be included to reduce the rate at which the particles settle. Alternatively, a compound of Formula (I) may be dry milled and added to water, containing agents hereinbefore described, to produce the desired end product.

Aerosol formulations comprise a compound of Formula (I) and a suitable propellant (for example n-butane). A compound of Formula (I) may also be dissolved or dispersed in a suitable medium (for example water or a water miscible liquid, such as n-propanol) to provide compositions for use in non-pressurised, hand-actuated spray pumps.

Capsule suspensions (CS) may be prepared in a manner similar to the preparation of EW formulations but with an additional polymerisation stage such that an aqueous dispersion of oil droplets is obtained, in which each oil droplet is encapsulated by a polymeric shell and contains a compound of Formula (I) and, optionally, a carrier or diluent therefor. The polymeric shell may be produced by either an interfacial polycondensation reaction or by a coacervation procedure. The compositions may provide for controlled release of the compound of Formula (I) and they may be used for seed treatment. A compound of Formula (I) may also be formulated in a biodegradable polymeric matrix to provide a slow, controlled release of the compound.

The composition may include one or more additives to improve the biological performance of the composition, for example by improving wetting, retention or distribution on surfaces; resistance to rain on treated surfaces; or uptake or mobility of a compound of Formula (I). Such additives include surface active agents (SFAs), spray additives based on oils, for example certain mineral oils or natural plant oils (such as soy bean and rape seed oil), and blends of these with other bio-enhancing adjuvants (ingredients which may aid or modify the action of a compound of Formula

(I)·

Wetting agents, dispersing agents and emulsifying agents may be SFAs of the cationic, anionic, amphoteric or non-ionic type.

Suitable SFAs of the cationic type include quaternary ammonium compounds (for example cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide), imidazolines and amine salts.

Suitable anionic SFAs include alkali metals salts of fatty acids, salts of aliphatic monoesters of sulphuric acid (for example sodium lauryl sulphate), salts of sulphonated aromatic compounds (for example sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate, calcium dodecylbenzenesulphonate, butylnaphthalene sulphonate and mixtures of sodium di-/sopropyl- and tri-/sopropyl-naphthalene sulphonates), ether sulphates, alcohol ether sulphates (for example sodium laureth-3-sulphate), ether carboxylates (for example sodium laureth-3-carboxylate), phosphate esters (products from the reaction between one or more fatty alcohols and phosphoric acid (predominately mono-esters) or phosphorus pentoxide (predominately di-esters), for example the reaction between lauryl alcohol and tetraphosphoric acid; additionally these products may be ethoxylated), sulphosuccinamates, paraffin or olefine sulphonates, taurates and lignosulphonates.

Suitable SFAs of the amphoteric type include betaines, propionates and glycinates.

Suitable SFAs of the non-ionic type include condensation products of alkylene oxides, such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide or mixtures thereof, with fatty alcohols (such as oleyl alcohol or cetyl alcohol) or with alkylphenols (such as octylphenol, nonylphenol or octylcresol); partial esters derived from long chain fatty acids or hexitol anhydrides; condensation products of said partial esters with ethylene oxide; block polymers (comprising ethylene oxide and propylene oxide); alkanolamides; simple esters (for example fatty acid polyethylene glycol esters); amine oxides (for example lauryl dimethyl amine oxide); and lecithins.

Suitable suspending agents include hydrophilic colloids (such as polysaccharides, polyvinylpyrrolidone or sodium carboxymethylcellulose) and swelling clays (such as bentonite or attapulgite).

The herbicidal compounds of the present invention can also be used in mixture with one or more additional herbicides and/or plant growth regulators. Examples of such additional herbicides or plant growth regulators include acetochlor, acifluorfen (including acifluorfen-sodium), aclonifen, ametryn, amicarbazone, aminopyralid, aminotriazole, atrazine, beflubutamid-M, bensulfuron

(including bensulfuron-methyl), bentazone, bicyclopyrone, bilanafos, bispyribac- sodium, bixlozone, bromacil, bromoxynil, butachlor, butafenacil, carfentrazone (including carfentrazone-ethyl), cloransulam (including cloransulam- methyl), chlorimuron (including chlorimuron-ethyl), chlorotoluron, chlorsulfuron, cinmethylin, clacyfos, clethodim, clodinafop (including clodinafop- propargyl), clomazone, clopyralid, cyclopyranil, cyclopyrimorate, cyclosulfamuron, cyhalofop (including cyhalofop-butyl), 2,4-D (including the choline salt and 2- ethylhexyl ester thereof), 2,4-DB, desmedipham, dicamba (including the aluminium, aminopropyl, bis-aminopropylmethyl, choline, dichloroprop, diglycolamine, dimethylamine, dimethylammonium, potassium and sodium salts thereof) diclosulam, diflufenican, diflufenzopyr, dimethachlor, dimethenamid-P, diquat dibromide, diuron, epyrifenacil, ethalfluralin, ethofumesate, fenoxaprop (including fenoxaprop-P- ethyl), fenoxasulfone, fenquinotrione, fentrazamide, flazasulfuron, florasulam, florpyrauxifen (including florpyrauxifen-benzyl), fluazifop (including fluazifop-P- butyl), flucarbazone (including flucarbazone-sodium), flufenacet, flumetsulam, flumioxazin, fluometuron, flupyrsulfuron (including flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium), fluroxypyr (including fluroxypyr-meptyl), fomesafen, foramsulfuron, glufosinate (including the ammonium salt thereof), glyphosate (including the diammonium, isopropylammonium and potassium salts thereof), halauxifen (including halauxifen-methyl), haloxyfop (including haloxyfop- methyl), hexazinone, hydantocidin, imazamox, imazapic, imazapyr, imazethapyr, indaziflam, iodosulfuron (including iodosulfuron-methyl- sodium), iofensulfuron (including iofensulfuron-sodium), ioxynil, isoproturon, isoxaflutole, lancotrione, MCPA, MCPB, mecoprop-P, mesosulfuron (including mesosulfuron-methyl), mesotrione, metamitron, metazachlor, methiozolin, metolachlor, metosulam, metribuzin, metsulfuron, napropamide, nicosulfuron, norflurazon, oxadiazon, oxasulfuron, oxyfluorfen, paraquat dichloride, pendimethalin, penoxsulam, phenmedipham, picloram, pinoxaden, pretilachlor, primisulfuron-methyl, prometryne, propanil, propaquizafop, propyrisulfuron, propyzamide, prosulfocarb, prosulfuron, pyraclonil, pyraflufen (including pyraflufen- ethyl), pyrasulfotole, pyridate, pyriftalid, pyrimisulfan, pyroxasulfone, pyroxsulam, quinclorac, quinmerac, quizalofop (including quizalofop-P-ethyl and quizalofop-P- tefuryl), rimsulfuron, saflufenacil, sethoxydim, simazine, S-metalochlor, sulfentrazone, sulfosulfuron, tebuthiuron, tefuryltrione, tembotrione, terbuthylazine, terbutryn, tetflupyrolimet, thiencarbazone, thifensulfuron, tiafenacil, tolpyralate, topramezone, tralkoxydim, triafamone, triallate, triasulfuron, tribenuron (including tribenuron-methyl), triclopyr,

trifloxysulfuron (including trifloxysulfuron-sodium), trifludimoxazin,

trifluralin, triflusulfuron, 3-(2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-(3-methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-trifluoromethyl - 3,6-dihydropyrimidin-1 (2H)-yl)phenyl)-5-methyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-5-carboxylic acid ethyl ester, 4-hydroxy-1-methoxy-5-methyl-3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-2- pyridyl]imidazolidin-2-one, 4-hydroxy-1 ,5-dimethyl-3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-2- pyridyl]imidazolidin-2-one, 5-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-1-methyl-3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-2- pyridyl]imidazolidin-2-one, 4-hydroxy-1-methyl-3-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-2- pyridyl]imidazolidin-2-one, 4-hydroxy-1 ,5-dimethyl-3-[1-methyl-5-

(trifluoromethyl)pyrazol-3-yl]imidazolidin-2-one, (4R)1-(5-tert-butylisoxazol-3-yl)-4- ethoxy-5-hydroxy-3-methyl-imidazolidin-2-one, 3-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl- 3-oxo-pyridazine-4-carbonyl]bicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2,4-dione, 2-[2-(3,4- dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3-oxo-pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-5-met hyl-cyclohexane-1 ,3- dione, 2-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3-oxo-pyridazine-4- carbonyl]cyclohexane-1 ,3-dione, 2-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3-oxo- pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-5,5-dimethyl-cyclohexane-1 ,3-dione, 6-[2-(3,4- dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3-oxo-pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-2,2,4 ,4-tetramethyl- cyclohexane-1 ,3,5-trione, 2-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3-oxo-pyridazine-4- carbonyl]-5-ethyl-cyclohexane-1 ,3-dione, 2-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3-oxo- pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-4,4,6,6-tetramethyl-cyclohexane-1 ,3-dione, 2-[6-cyclopropyl-2- (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-5-methyl- cyclohexane-1 ,3-dione, 3-[6-cyclopropyl-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-pyridazine-4- carbonyl]bicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2,4-dione, 2-[6-cyclopropyl-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3- oxo-pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-5,5-dimethyl-cyclohexane-1 ,3-dione, 6-[6-cyclopropyl-2- (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-2,2,4,4-t etramethyl- cyclohexane-1 , 3, 5-trione, 2-[6-cyclopropyl-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-pyridazine- 4-carbonyl]cyclohexane-1 ,3-dione, 4-[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-methyl-3-oxo- pyridazine-4-carbonyl]-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-tetrahydropyran-3 ,5-dione, 4-[6- cyclopropyl-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-pyridazine-4-carbo nyl]-2, 2,6,6- tetramethyl-tetrahydropyran-3,5-dione, 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(7-fluoro-1 H- indol-6-yl)pyridine-2-carboxylic acid (including agrochemically acceptable esters thereof, for example, methyl 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(7-fluoro-1 H-indol-6- yl)pyridine-2-carboxylate, prop-2-ynyl 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(7-fluoro-1 H-indol- 6-yl)pyridine-2-carboxylate and cyanomethyl 4-amino-3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-(7-fluoro- 1 H-indol-6-yl)pyridine-2-carboxylate), 3-ethylsulfanyl-N-(1 ,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-5- (trifluoromethyl)-[1 ,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine-8-carboxamide, 3-

(isopropylsulfanylmethyl)-N-(5-methyl-1 ,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)- [1 ,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine-8-carboxamide, 3-(isopropylsulfonylmethyl)-N-(5-methyl- 1 ,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-[1 ,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine-8-carboxamide, 3-(ethylsulfonylmethyl)-N-(5-methyl-1 ,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)- [1 ,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine-8-carboxamide, ethyl 2-[[3-[[3-chloro-5-fluoro-6-[3- methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidin-1-yl]-2-pyridy l]oxy]acetate, 6-chloro-4- (2,7-dimethyl-1-naphthyl)-5-hydroxy-2-methyl-pyridazin-3-one , 1-[2-chloro-6-(5- chloropyrimidin-2-yl)oxy-phenyl]-4,4,4-trifluoro-butan-1-one and 5-[2-chloro-6-(5- chloropyrimidin-2-yl)oxy-phenyl]-3-(difluoromethyl)isoxazole .

The mixing partners of the compound of Formula (I) may also be in the form of esters or salts, as mentioned e.g. in The Pesticide Manual, Sixteenth Edition, British Crop Protection Council, 2012.

The compound of Formula (I) can also be used in mixtures with other agrochemicals such as fungicides, nematicides or insecticides, examples of which are given in The Pesticide Manual.

The mixing ratio of the compound of Formula (I) to the mixing partner is preferably from 1 : 100 to 1000:1.

The mixtures can advantageously be used in the above-mentioned formulations (in which case "active ingredient" relates to the respective mixture of compound of Formula (I) with the mixing partner).

The compounds or mixtures of the present invention can also be used in combination with one or more herbicide safeners. Examples of such safeners include benoxacor, cloquintocet (including cloquintocet-mexyl), cyprosulfamide, dichlormid, fenchlorazole (including fenchlorazole-ethyl), fenclorim, fluxofenim, furilazole, isoxadifen (including isoxadifen-ethyl), mefenpyr (including mefenpyr-diethyl), metcamifen and oxabetrinil. Particularly preferred are mixtures of a compound of Formula (I) with cyprosulfamide, isoxadifen-ethyl, cloquintocet-mexyl and/or metcamifen.

The safeners of the compound of Formula (I) may also be in the form of esters or salts, as mentioned e.g. in The Pesticide Manual, 16 ^th Edition (BCPC), 2012. The reference to cloquintocet-mexyl also applies to a lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, iron, ammonium, quaternary ammonium, sulfonium or phosphonium salt thereof as disclosed in WO 02/34048.

Preferably the mixing ratio of compound of Formula (I) to safener is from 100:1 to 1 : 10, especially from 20: 1 to 1 : 1.

The mixtures can advantageously be used in the above-mentioned formulations (in which case“active ingredient” relates to the respective mixture of compound of Formula (I) with the safener).

The present invention still further provides a method of controlling weeds at a locus comprising crop plants and weeds, wherein the method comprises application to the locus of a weed controlling amount of a composition according to the present invention. ‘Controlling’ means killing, reducing or retarding growth or preventing or reducing germination. Generally the plants to be controlled are unwanted plants (weeds).‘Locus’ means the area in which the plants are growing or will grow.

The rates of application of compounds of Formula (I) may vary within wide limits and depend on the nature of the soil, the method of application (pre- or post emergence; seed dressing; application to the seed furrow; no tillage application etc.), the crop plant, the weed(s) to be controlled, the prevailing climatic conditions, and other factors governed by the method of application, the time of application and the target crop. The compounds of Formula (I) according to the invention are generally applied at a rate of from 10 to 2000 g/ha, especially from 50 to 1000 g/ha.

The application is generally made by spraying the composition, typically by tractor mounted sprayer for large areas, but other methods such as dusting (for powders), drip or drench can also be used.

Useful plants in which the composition according to the invention can be used include crops such as cereals, for example barley and wheat, cotton, oilseed rape, sunflower, maize, rice, soybeans, sugar beet, sugar cane and turf.

Crop plants can also include trees, such as fruit trees, palm trees, coconut trees or other nuts. Also included are vines such as grapes, fruit bushes, fruit plants and vegetables. Crops are to be understood as also including those crops which have been rendered tolerant to herbicides or classes of herbicides (e.g. ALS-, GS-, EPSPS-, PPO-, ACCase- and HPPD-inhibitors) by conventional methods of breeding or by genetic engineering. An example of a crop that has been rendered tolerant to imidazolinones, e.g. imazamox, by conventional methods of breeding is Clearfield® summer rape (canola). Examples of crops that have been rendered tolerant to herbicides by genetic engineering methods include e.g. glyphosate- and glufosinate- resistant maize varieties commercially available under the trade names RoundupReady® and LibertyLink®.

Crops are also to be understood as being those which have been rendered resistant to harmful insects by genetic engineering methods, for example Bt maize (resistant to European corn borer), Bt cotton (resistant to cotton boll weevil) and also Bt potatoes (resistant to Colorado beetle). Examples of Bt maize are the Bt 176 maize hybrids of NK® (Syngenta Seeds). The Bt toxin is a protein that is formed naturally by Bacillus thuringiensis soil bacteria. Examples of toxins, or transgenic plants able to synthesise such toxins, are described in EP-A-451 878, EP-A-374 753, WO 93/07278, WO 95/34656, WO 03/052073 and EP-A-427 529. Examples of transgenic plants comprising one or more genes that code for an insecticidal resistance and express one or more toxins are KnockOut® (maize), Yield Gard® (maize), NuCOTIN33B® (cotton), Bollgard® (cotton), NewLeaf® (potatoes), NatureGard® and Protexcta®. Plant crops or seed material thereof can be both resistant to herbicides and, at the same time, resistant to insect feeding (“stacked” transgenic events). For example, seed can have the ability to express an insecticidal Cry3 protein while at the same time being tolerant to glyphosate.

Crops are also to be understood to include those which are obtained by conventional methods of breeding or genetic engineering and contain so-called output traits (e.g. improved storage stability, higher nutritional value and improved flavour).

Other useful plants include turf grass for example in golf-courses, lawns, parks and roadsides, or grown commercially for sod, and ornamental plants such as flowers or bushes.

The compositions can be used to control unwanted plants (collectively, ‘weeds’). The weeds to be controlled may be both monocotyledonous species, for example Agrostis, Alopecurus, Avena, Brachiaria, Bromus, Cenchrus, Cyperus, Digitaria, Echinochloa, Eleusine, Lolium, Monochoria, Rottboellia, Sagittaria, Scirpus, Setaria and Sorghum, and dicotyledonous species, for example Abutilon, Amaranthus, Ambrosia, Chenopodium, Chrysanthemum, Conyza, Galium, Ipomoea, Nasturtium, Sida, Sinapis, Solanum, Stellaria, Veronica, Viola and Xanthium. The compounds of the present invention have been shown to exhibit particularly good activity against certain grass weed species, especially Lolium Perenne. Weeds can also include plants which may be considered crop plants but which are growing outside a crop area (‘escapes’), or which grow from seed left over from a previous planting of a different crop (‘volunteers’). Such volunteers or escapes may be tolerant to certain other herbicides.

The compounds of the present invention can be prepared according to the following schemes.

Compounds of formula (I) wherein G is other than hydrogen may be prepared by treating a compound of formula (I) wherein G is hydrogen, with a reagent G-Z, wherein G-Z is an alkylating agent such as an alkyl halide, acylating agent such as an acid chloride or anhydride, sulfonylating agent such as a sulfonyl chloride, carbamylating agent such as a carbamoyl chloride, or carbonating agent such as a chloroformate, using known methods.

(I, G is not H)

Scheme 1

Compounds of formula (I) where R ⁴ is of type R4 ^a may be prepared by reacting an iodonium ylide of formula (A), wherein Ar is an optionally substituted phenyl group, and an aryl boronic acid of formula (B), in the presence of a suitable palladium catalyst, a base and in a suitable solvent. Scheme 2

Preferably the palladium catalyst is palladium acetate, the base is lithium hydroxide and the solvent is aqueous 1 ,2-dimethoxyethane.

Alternatively R ¹ can be added later in the synthetic sequence by a range of metal catalysed cross-coupling reactions from intermediates of type (D) or (E) using standard literature procedures.

Scheme 3

A compound of formula (A) may be prepared from a 1 ,3 dione compound of formula (F) by treatment with a hypervalent iodine reagent such as a (diacetoxy)iodobenzene or an iodosylbenzene and a base such as aqueous sodium carbonate, lithium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide in a solvent such as water or an aqueous alcohol such as aqueous ethanol using known procedures. (F) (A)

Scheme 4 Boronic acids can be prepared by methods such as below in Scheme 5. For example, a compound of formula (B) or (C) may be prepared from an aryl halide of formula (G) or (I) by known methods. For example, an aryl halide of formula (G or I) may be treated with an alkyl lithium or alkyl magnesium halide in a suitable solvent, preferably diethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran, at a temperature of between -80 °C and 30 °C, and the aryl magnesium or aryl lithium reagent obtained may then be reacted with a trialkyl borate (preferably tri methyl borate) to give an aryl dialkylboronate which may be hydrolysed to provide a boronic acid of formula (B) or (C) under acidic conditions.

Scheme 5

Compounds of formula (D) can also be prepared via Pb coupling as shown in the scheme below by reacting a compound of formula (C), to form an organolead reagent of formula (J) and subsequent reaction with 1 ,3 dione (F) under conditions described, for example, by J. Pinhey, Pure and Appl. Chem., (1996), 68 (4), 819 and by M. Moloney et al., Tetrahedron Lett., (2002), 43, 3407. A suitable triarylbismuth compound under conditions described, for example, by A. Yu. Fedorov et ai, Russ. Chem. Bull. Int. Ed., (2005), 54 (11), 2602, and by P. Koech and M. Krische, J. Am. Chem. Soc., (2004), 126 (17), 5350 and references therein may be used as a related procedure.

With suitable conditions, a suitable 1 ,3 dione may also be directly coupled to a Halo- compound (for example of formula (K)) with palladium catalysis). Intermediate (L) gives compounds of type (I) by suitable conversion of the halide to R ¹ as described in Scheme 3.

Scheme 8

Compounds of type (I) can also be made by late stage functionalisation from a common intermediate acid (O). Compound (M) can be converted to intermediate (N) by the methods described above and then the ester group hydrolysed, for example under basic conditions. Intermediate acid (O) can then be directly converted to compounds of type (I) by standard methods of amide coupling such as by the use of HATU.

(I, G= H)

Scheme 9

1 ,3 Diones of type (F) and (M) may be prepared using methods such as that shown below. So commercially available ketones (for example of type (P)) can be converted into intermediate (Q) and then converted to intermediate (R) and finally cyclisation to intermediate (S) and decarboxylation gives intermediate (F) (these methods are described in W02008/110308).

Scheme 10

Compounds of formula (I) where R ⁴ is of type R4 ^b may be prepared in a similar manner as for type R4 ^a .

Suitably protected amines (such as the BOC group shown in ketone (T)) can be converted to intermediates of type (U) by the methods described in scheme 10. 1 ,3 Diones of type (U) can then be converted to compounds of type (V) by the methods described above. Removal of the protecting group (under acidic conditions in this example) gives amines of type (W).

Scheme 1 1

Alternatively suitably mono protected diketones (such as the acetal group shown in ketone (X)) can be converted to intermediates of type (Z) by the methods described above. Removal of the ketone protecting group (under acidic conditions in this example), followed by reductive amination with a suitable amine gives amines of type (AB).

Amides, ureas, acyl ureas and oxamides can be made from intermediates (W) and (AB) by standard literature methods as known to someone skilled in the art, such as in scheme 13.

Scheme 13

(a) 2-methoxyacetic acid, HATU, DIPEA, DMF, RT; (b) 2-(methylamino)-2-oxo- acetic acid, HATU, NEt3, DCM, RT; (c) 2-isocyanato-2-methyl-propane, NEt3, DCM; (d) 2,2 dimethylpropanoyl isocyanate, NEt3, DCM;

The following non-limiting examples provide specific synthesis methods for representative compounds of the present invention, as referred to in the Tables below.

Example 1 : Synthesis of 3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-N-methyl-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecane-9-carboxamide (Compound 1.002)

Step 1 : Synthesis of N-methyl-4-oxo-cyclohexanecarboxamide

To a stirred solution of 4-oxocyclohexanecarboxylic acid (1.00 g, 7.03 mmol) in DCM (24.0 ml_) was added methylamine solution (9.8 M in MeOH, 2.15 ml_, 21.1 mmol), HOAt (1.44 g, 10.6 mmol), EDC-HCI (1.64 g, 10.6 mmol) and DIPEA (3.68 ml_, 21.1 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 17 hours, diluted with water and extracted with DCM. The combined organic layer was washed with brine, dried over Na2SC>4, concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (0-50% acetone in hexane) to give N-methyl-4-oxo-cyclohexanecarboxamide as a white solid (230 mg, 1.48 mmol, 21% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ CI) d ppm = 5.58 (br s, 1 H), 2.83-2.82 (d, 3H), 2.54-2.47 (m, 3H), 2.36-2.28 (m, 2H), 2.17-2.12 (m, 2H), 2.03-1.93 (m, 2H)

Step 2: Synthesis of 4-acetonylidene-N-methyl-cyclohexanecarboxamide

To a stirred solution of potassium hydroxide (0.253 g, 4.51 mmol) in ethanol (7.0 ml_) and water (1.8 ml_) was added 1-dimethoxyphosphorylpropan-2-one (0.624 ml_, 4.51 mmol) drop wise at 5 °C. To this mixture was added N-methyl-4-oxo- cyclohexanecarboxamide (0.500 g, 3.22 mmol) portion wise at the same temperature. The resulting reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 22 hours before being concentrated, diluted with water and extracted with DCM. The combined organics were washed with brine, dried over Na2SC>4 and concentrated to obtain crude material. The crude was triturated with 20% EtOAc:Hexane to obtain 4- acetonylidene-N-methyl-cyclohexanecarboxamide as an off white solid (470 mg, 2.35 mmol, 73% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ CI) d ppm = 6.02 (s, 1 H), 5.50 (s, 1 H), 2.78 (d, 3H), 2.34-1.93 (m, 12H).

Step 3: Synthesis of N-methyl-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecane-9-carboxamide

To a stirred solution of 4-acetonylidene-N-methyl-cyclohexanecarboxamide (4.10 g, 21.0 mmol) in ethanol (26.0 ml_) was added diethyl propanedioate (3.20 ml_, 21.0 mmol) followed by drop-wise addition of sodium ethoxide (21.0 %, 61 ml_, 3.61 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours then heated to reflux for 4 hours before being allowed to stand at room temperature overnight. The reaction mixture was concentrated, diluted with water and washed with ethyl acetate. The aqueous layer was then acidified with aqueous citric acid and extracted with DCM. The combined organics were washed with brine, dried over Na2SC>4 and concentrated to give ethyl 9-(methylcarbamoyl)-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecane-5- carboxylate (3.80 g) as a brown gummy liquid. Crude ethyl 9-(methylcarbamoyl)-2,4- dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecane-5-carboxylate (3.80 g, 12.3 mmol) was taken up in ethanol (10.0 ml_). Sodium hydroxide (12.0 M, 21.7 ml_, 260 mmol) was added at room temperature and the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 23 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated, acidified with citric acid solution and extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organics were dried over Na2SC>4, concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (MeOH-DCM) to give N- methyl-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecane-9-carboxamide as an off white foam (2.3 g, 9.69 mmol, 79% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 2.92-2.88 (m, 2H), 2.80-2.76 (m, 2H), 2.69 (s, 3H), 2.16-2.30 (m, 1 H), 1.82-1.78 (m, 2H), 1.66-1.62 (m, 4H), 1.28- 1.23 (m, 2H)

Step 4: Synthesis of [diacetoxy-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)plumbyl] acetate

Lead(IV) acetate (2.32 g, 5.24 mmol) and mercuric acetate (0.139 g, 0.437 mmol) were dissolved in chloroform (20 ml_) and the solution was warmed to 40 °C for 10 minutes. (4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)boronic acid (1.00 g, 4.37 mmol) was added and the mixture was heated at 40 °C for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled to 0 °C and potassium carbonate (4.52 g, 32.7 mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was then stirred vigorously for 1 hour at room temperature. The reaction was filtered through celite-pad, washing through with chloroform. The filtrate was concentrated and the resulting solid was triturated with hexane to give [diacetoxy-(4-bromo-2,6- dimethyl-phenyl)plumbyl] acetate as a white solid (1.94 g, 3.41 mmol, 78% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ CI) d ppm = 7.33 (s, 2H), 2.62-2.54 (m, 6H), 2.08 (s, 9H).

Step 5: Synthesis of 3-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-N-methyl-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecane-9-carboxamide

To a stirred solution of compound N-methyl-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecane-9- carboxamide (0.810 g, 3.41 mmol) in chloroform (28 ml_) was added 4,4- dimethylaminopyridine (2.08 g, 17.1 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred under nitrogen for 15 min at room temperature, then toluene (6 ml_) was added followed by the addition of [diacetoxy-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)plumbyl] acetate (1.94 g, 3.41 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at 80 °C for 3 hours before being allowed to stand at room temperature overnight. The reaction mixture was cooled over ice, acidified with citric acid solution and filtered through celite. The aqueous layer was extracted with chloroform and the combined organics were washed with brine, dried over Na2SC>4, evaporated and purified by flash column chromatography (acetone-hexane) to give 3-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-N-methyl-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecane-9-carboxamide as an off-white solid (125 mg, 0.275 mmol, 8% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 7.18 (s, 2H), 2.71-2.67 (m, 5H), 2.40 (s, 2H), 2.19-2.14 (m, 1 H), 2.02 (s, 6H), 1.96-1.93 (m, 2H), 1.72-1.63 (m, 4H), 1.41-1.24 (m, 2H).

Step 6: Synthesis of 3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-N-methyl-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecane-9-carboxamide (Compound 1.002)

3-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-N-methyl-2,4-dioxo-spiro[ 5.5]undecane-9- carboxamide (0.125 g, 0.297 mmol), 4-diphenylphosphanylbutyl(diphenyl)phosphane (0.0253 g, 0.0594 mmol), bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(ll) chloride (0.0209 g, 0.0297 mmol) and 2-butynoic acid (0.0750 g, 0.892 mmol) were placed into a round- bottomed flask. Dimethyl sulfoxide (2.00 ml_) and DBU (0.272 g, 1.78 mmol) were added and the reaction mixture was stirred at 110 °C for 20 hours. The reaction mixture was acidified with 10% citric acid solution and extracted with EtOAc. The combined organics were dried over Na2SC>4, concentrated and purified by prep-HPLC to give 3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-N-methyl-2,4-dioxo-spi ro[5.5]undecane- 9-carboxamide as a white solid (24 mg, 0.063 mmol, 21% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDsOD) d ppm = 7.81 (br s, 1 H), 7.02 (s, 2H), 2.71-2.67 (m, 5H), 2.39 (br s, 2H), 2.20-2.14 (m, 1 H), 2.03-1.98 (m, 10H), 1.94 (m, 1 H), 1.69-1.67 (m, 4H), 1.40-1.33 (m, 2H).

Example 2: Synthesis of N-[3-[4-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl]-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]acetamide (Compound 2.026)

Step 1 : Synthesis of tert-butyl N-(4-acetonylidenecyclohexyl)carbamate To a stirred solution of potassium hydroxide (1.5 equiv., 70.333 mmol) in ethanol (20 equiv., 937.78 mmol) and water (5 equiv., 234.44 mmol) at 0 °C, was added dimethyl (2-oxopropyl)phosphonate (1.4 equiv., 65.644 mmol) dropwise and the reaction mixture was stirred for 5 minutes. Then, tert-butyl N-(4-oxocyclohexyl)carbamate (10 g, 46.889 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature for 2 hours before being extracted with EtOAc, washed with brine, and dried over MgSCU. The volatiles were removed in vacuo and the residues were purified by flash column chromatography (0-100% ethyl acetate in iso-hexane) to give tert-butyl N-(4-acetonylidenecyclohexyl)carbamate as a white solid (10.3 g, 40.7 mmol, 87% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ CI) d ppm = 6.07 - 5.97 (m, 1 H), 3.63 - 3.52 (m, 1 H), 2.46 - 2.38 (m, 2H), 2.28 - 2.21 (m, 2H), 2.18 (s, 3H), 1.48 - 1.42 (m,

13H).

Step 2: Synthesis of tert-butyl N-(2,4-dioxospiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl)carbamate

To a stirred solution of sodium methoxide in methanol (1 equiv., 19.65 mmol, 25 mass%) at 0°C was added dimethyl propanedioate (1.05 equiv., 20.63 mmol) dropwise and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour. Then, a solution of tert-butyl N-(4- acetonylidenecyclohexyl)carbamate (4.977 g, 19.65 mmol) in methanol (20 ml_, 490 mmol) was added dropwise at 0°C and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes and heated to 60°C overnight. On cooling, a solution of potassium hydroxide (5 equiv., 98.25 mmol) in water (0.3 mL/mmol, 327.2 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred at 60°C for 24 hours. The mixture was cooled, acidified to pH=5 with aqueous citric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organics were dried over Na2S04, filtered and concentrated to give tert- butyl N-(2,4-dioxospiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl)carbamate as a brown solid (4.164 g, 14.10 mmol, 72% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 3.37 - 3.32 (m, 1 H), 2.41 (s, 2H), 2.26 - 2.20 (m, 2H), 1.79 - 1.69 (m, 4H), 1.43 (s, 9H), 1.40 - 1.32 (m, 4H). Step 3: Synthesis of tert-butyl N-[2,4-dioxo-3-(phenyl-$l ^A {3}- iodanylidene)spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate

Sodium carbonate (2 equiv., 24.04 mmol) was dissolved in a mixture of water (15 mL/g) and ethanol (3 mL/g). Tert-butyl N-(2,4-dioxospiro[5.5]undecan-9- yl)carbamate (3.551 g, 12.02 mmol) was added in one portion and the mixture was stirred at room temperature until dissolution of the dione (5 minutes). The solution was cooled to 5°C and (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (1 equiv., 12.02 mmol) was added portionwise. The reaction mixture was stirred for 15 minutes at 5°C and then at room temperature for 3 hours. The mixture was diluted with water and extracted with DCM. The combined organics were washed with brine, dried over MgS04, concentrated and triturated in diethyl ether to give tert-butyl N-[2,4-dioxo-3-(phenyl-$l ^A {3}- iodanylidene)spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate as a brown solid (2.040 g, 4.10 mmol, 34% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDC ) d ppm = 7.88 - 7.78 (m, 2H), 7.58 - 7.50 (m, 1 H), 7.42 - 7.31 (m, 2H), 4.50 - 4.35 (m, 1 H), 3.47 - 3.36 (m, H), 2.67 - 2.57 (m, 2H), 2.54 - 2.44 (m, 2H), 1.86 - 1.77 (m, 2H), 1.72 - 1.69 (m, 2H), 1.47 - 1.41 (m, 9H), 1.38 - 1.27 (m, 4H).

Step 4: Synthesis of tert-butyl N-[3-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate

Tert-butyl N-[2,4-dioxo-3-(phenyl-$l ^A {3}-iodanylidene)spiro[5.5]undecan-9- yl]carbamate (2.04 g, 4.10 mmol, 100 mass%) was dissolved in 1 ,2-dimethoxyethane (8 mL/mmol, 312 mmol) and the mixture was treated with (4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl- phenyl)boronic acid (1.2 equiv., 4.92 mmol) and palladium(ll) acetate (0.05 equiv., 0.205 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 5 min and a solution of lithium hydroxide (3 equiv., 12.3 mmol) in water (2 mL/mmol, 442 mmol) was finally added. The mixture was stirred at 50°C for 20 hours, cooled, diluted with aqueous citric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organics were dried over MgS0 ₄ , concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (0-100% EtOAc in iso-hexane) to give tert-butyl N-[3-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate as a pale yellow solid (594 mg, 1.24 mmol, 30% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 7.19 - 7.16 (m, 2H), 2.60 - 2.56 (m, 2H), 2.44 - 2.40 (m, 2H), 2.04- 2.01 (m, 6H), 1.93 - 1.85 (m, 2H), 1.81 - 1.72 (m, 2H) 1.47 - 1.41 (m, 13H).

Step 5: Synthesis of tert-butyl N-[3-[2,6-dimethyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1 ,3,2- dioxaborolan-2-yl)phenyl]-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]c arbamate

Tert-butyl N-[3-(4-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undec an-9- yl]carbamate (261 mg, 0.5456 mmol) and bis(pinacolato)diboron (3 equiv., 1.637 mmol) were dissolved in de-gassed 1 ,4-dioxane (5 ml_). To the mixture was added 2- dicyclohexylphosphino-2’,6’-dimethoxybiphenyl (0.2 equiv., 0.1091 mmol), tri(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium(0) (0.1 equiv., 0.05456 mmol) and potassium acetate (3 equiv., 1.637 mmol). The mixture was stirred at 85°C for 24 hours, concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (0-100% ethyl acetate in cyclohexane) to give tert-butyl N-[3-[2,6-dimethyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1 ,3,2- dioxaborolan-2-yl)phenyl]-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]c arbamate (264 mg, 0.467 mmol, 86% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 7.44 (s, 2H), 3.43 - 3.37 (m, 1 H), 2.63 (s, 2H), 2.48 (s, 2H), 2.09 - 2.06 (m, 6H), 1.98 - 1.89 (m, 2H), 1.84 - 1.77 (m, 2H), 1.51 - 1.47 (m, 4H), 1.47 - 1.45 (m, 9H), 1.35 (s, 12H).

Step 6: Synthesis of tert-butyl N-[3-[4-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl]-2,4- dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate

To a mixture of tert-butyl N-[3-[2,6-dimethyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1 ,3,2- dioxaborolan-2-yl)phenyl]-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]c arbamate (0.264 g, 0.5024 mmol), 2-bromo-5-chloro-pyridine (0.1257 g, 0.6531 mmol) and 1 ,1 '- bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene-palladium(ll) dichloride dichloromethane complex (0.08459 g, 0.1005 mmol) at room temperature was added 1 ,2-dimethoxyethane (10 ml_) followed by a solution of potassium phosphate tribasic (0.4266 g, 2.010 mmol) in water (5 ml_). The reaction mixture was stirred at 100°C for 18 hours. On cooling, the mixture was diluted with 10% aqueous citric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organics were dried over Na ₂ S0 ₄ , passed through a phase-separator cartridge, concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (0-100% ethyl acetate DCM) to give tert-butyl N-[3-[4-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl]-2,4- dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate as a brown solid (100 mg, 0.180 mmol, 36% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 8.54 (d, 1 H), 7.87 - 7.76 (m, 2H), 7.62 (s, 2H), 3.43 - 3.33 (m, 1 H), 2.62 (s, 2H), 2.47 (s, 2H), 2.13 (s, 6H), 1.96 - 1.86 (m, 2H), 1.84 - 1.73 (m, 2H), 1.52 - 1.37 (m, 13H).

Step 7: Synthesis of N-[3-[4-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl]-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]acetamide (Compound 2.026)

Tert-butyl N-[3-[4-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl]-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate (122 mg, 0.2387 mmol) was dissolved in dichloromethane (0.2 M, 18.5 mmol) at room temperature and 4.0 M hydrogen chloride in dioxane (5 equiv., 1.194 mmol, 4.0 mol/L) was added dropwise. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2.5 hours before being concentrated. The resulting solids were re-dissolved in isopropenyl acetate (0.1 M, 20.3 mmol) and triethylamine (3 equiv., 0.6705 mmol) was added. The mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight, concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (0-30% methanol in DCM) to afford N-[3-[4-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl]- 2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]acetamide (60 mg, 0.1325 mmol, 59% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 8.59 - 8.53 (m, 1 H), 7.90 - 7.80 (m, 2H), 7.67 - 7.60 (m, 2H), 3.73 - 3.64 (m, 1 H), 2.65 (s, 2H), 2.49 (s, 2H), 2.14 (s, 6H), 1.98 (s, 2H), 1.93 (s, 3H), 1.85 - 1.75 (m, 2H), 1.55 - 1.42 (m, 4H)

Example 3: Synthesis of N-[3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]acetamide (Compound 2.001) Step 1 : Synthesis of tert-butyl N-[3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate

Dimethyl sulfoxide (6 mL/mmol) was added to a mixture of tert-butyl N-[3-(4-bromo- 2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbam ate (237 mg, 0.4954 mmol), 1 ,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (0.1 equiv., 0.04954 mmol), and but-2- ynoic acid (1.2 equiv., 0.5945 mmol). The reaction mixture was de-gassed and bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(ll) dichloride (0.05 equiv., 0.02477 mmol) was added, followed by DBU (3 equiv., 1.486 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at 100°C for 2.5 hours. On cooling, the reaction mixture was adjusted to pH = 6 with aqueous citric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organics were dried over Na2S04, concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (20-100% EtOAc in iso-hexane) to give tert-butyl N-[3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-2,4- dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]carbamate as a pale yellow oil (125 mg, 0.286 mmol, 58% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 7.04 - 7.01 (m, 2H), 3.42 - 3.32 (m, 1 H), 2.64 - 2.56 (m, 2H), 2.48 - 2.42 (m, 2H), 2.00 (s, 6H), 1.99 - 1.98 (m, 3H), 1.94 - 1.85 (m, 2H), 1.82 - 1.74 (m, 2H), 1.45 - 1.45 (m, 4H), 1.44 - 1.43 (m, 9H).

Step 2: Synthesis of 9-amino-3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl- phenyl)spiro[5.5]undecane-2,4-dione hydrochloride

Tert-butyl N-[3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5 ]undecan-9- yljcarbamate (125 mg, 0.2856 mmol) was suspended in dichloromethane (1 mL/mmol, 4.42 mmol) and then 4.0 M hydrogen chloride in 1 ,4-dioxane (5 equiv., 1.428 mmol) was added dropwise. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 20 hours then at 40°C for 4 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated, re-dissolved in acetone (5 ml_) and treated with additional 4.0 M hydrogen chloride in 1 ,4-dioxane (5 equiv., 1.428 mmol). The mixture was stirred at 60°C for 5 hours and concentrated to give 9-amino-3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl- phenyl)spiro[5.5]undecane-2,4-dione hydrochloride as a gummy yellow solid (95 mg, 0.254 mmol, 89% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 7.07 - 7.01 (m, 2H), 3.19 - 3.08 (m, 1 H), 2.67 - 2.61 (m, 2H), 2.51 - 2.48 (m, 2H), 2.01 (s, 6H), 2.00 - 1.99 (m, 3H), 1.98 - 1.85 (m, 4H), 1.67 - 1.56 (m, 2H), 1.54 - 1.43 (m, 2H).

Step 3: Synthesis of N-[3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo- spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]acetamide (Compound 2.001)

[3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl-phenyl)-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]u ndecan-9-yl]ammonium hydrochloride (100 mg, 0.208 mmol) was dissolved in DCM (1.040 ml_, 0.2 M), cooled to 0°C and treated with triethylamine (0.117 ml_, 4 equiv.) and acetyl chloride (0.0379 ml_, 2.5 equiv.). The mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature for 3 hours, acidified with dilute hydrochloric acid and extracted with DCM. The organics were concentrated, re-dissolved in methanol (2.081 ml_, 0.1 M) and treated with potassium carbonate (0.05751 g, 2.0 equiv.). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 20 hours, diluted with 2 M HCI and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organics were dried over Na2SC>4, concentrated and purified by flash column chromatography (0-30% methanol in DCM) to give N-[3-(2,6-dimethyl-4-prop-1-ynyl- phenyl)-2,4-dioxo-spiro[5.5]undecan-9-yl]acetamide as a white solid (47 mg, 0.124 mmol, 60% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD ₃ OD) d ppm = 8.04 - 7.98 (m, 1 H), 7.03 (s, 2H), 3.72 - 3.64 (m, 1 H), 2.62 (s, 2H), 2.46 (s, 2H), 2.00 (s, 6H), 1.99 (s, 3H), 1.92 (s, 3H), 1.92 - 1.88 (m, 2H), 1.82 - 1.73 (m, 2H) 1.53 - 1.41 (m, 4H). Examples of herbicidal compounds of the present invention. Table 1

Table 2

TABLE 3

Biological Examples

Seeds of a variety of test species are sown in standard soil in pots ( Lolium perenne (LOLPE), Setaria faberi (SETFA), Alopecurus myosuroides (ALOMY), Echinochloa crus-galli (ECHCG), Avena fatua (AVEFA)). After cultivation for one day (pre emergence) or after 8 days cultivation (post-emergence) under controlled conditions in a glasshouse (at 24/16°C, day/night; 14 hours light; 65 % humidity), the plants are sprayed with an aqueous spray solution derived from the formulation of the technical active ingredient in acetone / water (50:50) solution containing 0.5% Tween 20 (polyoxyethelyene sorbitan monolaurate, CAS RN 9005-64-5). Compounds are applied at 250 g/h. The test plants are then grown in a glasshouse under controlled conditions in a glasshouse (at 24/16°C, day/night; 14 hours light; 65 % humidity) and watered twice daily. After 13 days for pre and post-emergence, the test is evaluated for the percentage damage caused to the plant. The biological activities are shown in the following table on a five-point scale (5 = 80-100%; 4 = 60-79%; 3=40-59%; 2=20-39%; 7=0-19%). TABLE B1