IL121492A - 2,6-disubstituted pyrimidines and 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidines and herbicidal compositions containing them - Google Patents

Abstract

Compounds of the formula wherein A represents an optionally substituted aryl group or an optionally substituted 5- or 6-membered nitrogen- containing heteroaromatic group of a difluorobenzodioxolyl group; m represents an integer from 0 to 5; n represents an integer from 0 to 2; R1 (or each R1) independently represents a hydrogen atom, an halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxyamino or formamidino group; R2 (or each R2) independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylsulphinyl, alkylsulphonyl gruop or a nitro, cyano or SF5 group, X represents an oxygen or sulphur atom; and Z represents a nitrogen atom or a CH group; with the provisos that (a) A represents a pyridyl group being substituted by at least one haloalkyl, haloalkoxy or haloalkylthio group, in the event that Z represents N; or (b) m and n are 1, R1 denotes an alkyl, alkoxy or alkylamino group attached in the 4-position and R2 represents a trifluoromethyl, in the event that Z represents CH.

Description

121492/2 2, 6 - DISUBSTITUTED PYRIDINES AND 2, 4- DISUBSTITUTED PYRIMIDINES AND HERBICIDAL COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING THEM PAT/4815 P/357/14815/148669/1 P/357/14815/148669/1 , - 12 1492/2 1 The present application is an application for a Patent of Addition to Israeli Patent IL 1 16855.

The present invention relates to certain 2,6-disubstituted pyridines and 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidines, their preparation and use as herbicides.

Pyridines, pyrimidines and their derivatives have many uses in the pharmaceutical area as well as in agriculture (herbicides, fungicides, acaricides, anthelmintics, bird repellents), reagents, intermediates and chemicals for the polymer and textile industry. 2-Arylpyrimidines and 2-pyrimidinyl-6-arylpyridines for example have been described as fungicides (DE 40 29 654 and JO 2131-480, respectively). EP 263,958. .is concerned with herbicidal 2,6-diphenylpyridines, and structurally related 2,4-diphenyipyrimidines have been disclosed in EP 354,766 and 425,247, respectively, which are also said to be herbicides. Another example are 2,6-diphenoxypyridines, which have been published in EP 572,093 as herbicides. 4- Phenoxy-2-pyrazol-1-yl-pyrimidines are disclosed in DE 29 35 578 to have fungicidal activity. Huelsen (Diplomarbeit, Konstanz 1993) describes four distinct 2-(1-methyl-3-trifluoromethyl- pyrazol-5-ylyoxy)-6-phenyl pyridines, however, no biological activity is disclosed.

Surprisingly, it has now been found that good herbicidal activity is present in related, novel pyridine and pyrimidine derivatives having both an aryl group and an aryloxy or a heteroaryloxy group. These compounds unexpectedly show excellent activity and good crop selectivity in pre- and post-emergence applications on both broadleaf and grassy weed species.

Accordingly, the present invention provides 2,6-substituted pyridines and 2,4-substituted pyrimidines of the general formula I wherein A represents an optionally substituted aryl group or an optionally substituted 5- or 6-membered nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic group or a difluorobenzodioxolyl group; m represents an integer from 0 to 5; n represents an integer from 0 to 2; R1 (or each R ) independently represents a hydrogen atom, an halogen atom, an optionally substituted aikyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxyamino or f rmamidino group; R2 (or each R2) independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, alkoxy, alkylthio group or a nitro, cyano, SF5 or a alkylsulphonyl or alkylsulfinyl group; X represents an oxygen or sulphur atom; and Z represents a nitrogen atom or a CH group; with the provisos that (a) A represents a pyridyl group being substituted by at least one haloalkyl, haloalkoxy or haloalkyithio group,in the event that Z represents N; or (b) m and n are 1 , R1 denotes an alkyl, alkoxy or alkylamino group attached in the 4- position and R2 represents a trifiuoromethyl, in the event that Z represent CH.

An aryl group as substituent or part of other substituents or in the definition of A is suitably an optionally substituted phenyl or naphthyi group. Within the definition of A the 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl group comprises optionally substituted 5- or 6-membered heterocycles containing one or more nitrogen and/or oxygen and/or sulfur atoms, 1 to 3 nitrogen atoms being preferred.

Examples of such groups are pyrazolyl, imidazoiyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidyl, pyridazinyl, isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl and triazinyl groups. As far as A is concerned the definition "aryl" does also include bicyciic systems which consist of a benzene ring condensed with a 5- or 6- membered heterocyclic ring as defined above and in turn the 5- or 6-membered heterocycles may be condensed with a benzene ring. Another preferred embodiment of A is a difluorobenzodioxolyl group of formula Generally, if any of the above mentioned moieties comprises an alkyl, alkenyl or alkinyl group, such groups, unless otherwise specified, may be linear or branched and may contain 1 to 12. preferably 1 to 4, carbon atoms. [Examples of such groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, vinyl, aliyl, isopropyl, butyl, isoburyl and tertiary-butyl groups. The alkyl portion of a haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, alkylthio. haloalkyithio or alkoxy group suitably has from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms. The number of carbon atoms in the alkoxyalkyl, alkoxyaikoxy or dialkoxyalkyl groups is up to 6, preferably up to 4, e.g. methoxymethyl, methoxymethoxy, methoxyethyl, ethoxymethyl, ethoxyethoxy, dimethoxymethyl.

"Halogen" means a fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom, preferably fluorine, chlorine or bromine. Haloalkyl, haloalkylthio and haloalkoxy are preferably mono-, di- or trifiuoroalkyl, -alkylthio and -alkoxy, especially trifluoromethyl, difluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio and trifluoro-methoxy.

When any groups are designated as being optionally substituted, the substituent groups which are optionally present may be any of those customarily employed in the modification and/or development of pesticidal compounds and are especially substituents that maintain or enhance the herbicidal activity associated with the compounds of the present invention, or influence persistence of action, soil or plant penetration, or any other desirable property of such herbicidal compounds. There may be one or more of the same or different substituents present in each part of the molecules. In relation to moieties defined above as comprising an optionally substituted alkyl group, including alkyl parts of haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, haloalkoxy, alkylamino and dialkylamino groups, specific examples of such substituents include phenyl, halogen atoms, nitro, cyano, hydroxyl, Ci_4-alkoxy, Ci ^-haloalkoxy and Ci_ -alkoxycarbonyl groups.

In relation to moieties defined above as comprising an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl group, optional substituents include halogen, especially fluorine, chlorine and bromine atoms, and nitro, cyano, amino, hydroxyl, C-|_4-alkyl, Ci_4-alkoxy, Ci^-haloalkyl, C^-haloalkoxy, Ci^-haloalkylthio and haiosulfanyl groups such as SFS. 1 to 5 substituents may suitably be employed, 1 to 2 substituents being preferred. Typically haloalkyl, haloalkoxy and haloalkylthio groups are trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, difluoromethoxy and trifluoromethylthio groups.

The index m preferably means an integer from 1 to 3, n is preferably 1 (then R1 is not hydrogen).

The compounds according to general formula I are oils, gums, or, predominantly, crystalline solid materials. They can be used in agriculture or related fields for the control of undesired plants such as Alopecurus myosuroides, Echinochloa crus-galli, Setaha viridis, Galium aparine, Stellaria media, Veronica persica, Lamium purpureum, Viola arvensis, Abutilon theophrasti, Ipomoea purpurea and Amaranthus retroflexus by pre- and post-emergence application. The compounds of general formula I according to the invention possess a high herbicidal activity within a wide concentration range and may be used in agriculture.

Preferred compounds are those wherein A represents a phenyl, pyridyl, or pyrazolyl group, being substituted by one or more identical or different substituents selected from halogen atoms, alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy and pentahalosulfanyl groups.

Especially preferred are compounds bearing a substituent in group A in mefa-position relative to the point of attachment of this group.

Good results in terms of control of undesired plant growth are obtained when A is meta-substituted by a chlorine atom or a tnfiuoromethyl group, especially A being a 2-chloropyrid-4-yl, 1-methyl-3-trifluoromethylpyrazol-5-yl or 3-trifluoromethylphenyl group.

Particularly good results in control of weeds are achieved with compounds wherein X represents an oxygen atom. Especially good results are obtained with compounds wherein Z represents a nitrogen atom.

The following formulae I A, I B and IC represent preferred embodiments of the invention: ( I C ) In the formula IA A represents a 2-trifluoromethylpyrid- -yl or 2-difluoromethoxypyrid-4-yl group, R1 has the meaning given above; R , R2' and R2" independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine, chlorine or bromine atom, one or two of them also a tnfiuoromethyl, trifluormethoxy or a cyano group, R2" can further be a C^C^alkyl group, particularly tert-butyl.

In the formula IB X represents haloalkyl, haloalkoxy or haloalkylthio, preferably difluoromethoxy, and R1 denotes a halogen atom or an alkyl or alkoxy group.

In the formula IC R1 denotes alkyl, alkoxy or alkylamino and A has the meaning given above.

The invention is exemplified by the following compounds: 6-ethyl-2-(4,-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-(2"-trifluoromethyl-pyrid-4"-yloxy)pyrimidine 6-ethyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-[2' 2,212-trifluoiOethyl)-pyrid-4''-yloxy]pyrimidine 6-methyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-(2,'-difluoromethoxy-pyrid-4,'-yloxy)pyrimidine. 6-ethyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-(2"-difluoromethoxy-pyrid-4"-yloxy)pyrimidine 6-methoxymethyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)^-(2"-difluoromethoxy-pyrid^''-yloxy)pyrimidine 6-methoxmemyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)^-[2"-(212,2-trifluoroethyl)-pyrid-4, -yloxy]pyrimidin 6-methyl-2-(4,-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-[2',-(1,1 l2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-pyrid-4"-yloxy]pyrimidi 5- methyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-[2"-(1 , 112,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-pyrid-4"-yloxy]pyrimidine 6- methyl-2-(4,-trifluoromethylphenyi)-4-(2,,-difluoromethylthio-pyrid-4"-yloxy)pyrimidine 5- methyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-(2''-difluoromethylthio-pyrid-4"-yloxy)pyrimidine 6- methoxy-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-(2"-difluoromethylthio-pyrid-4"-yIoxy)pyrimidine 4-ethyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-6-(1"-methyl-3-trifluoromethylpyrazol-5-yloxy)pyridine 4-methyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-6-(2"-difiuoromethoxpyrid-4"-yloxy)pyridine 4-methyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-6-(2"-trifluoromethylpyrid-4"-yloxy)pyridine 4-methyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-6-(3"-trifluoromethylphenyloxy)pyridine The compounds according to the invention can be prepared by conventional methods. A suitable process for the preparation of the compounds of general formula I comprises the reaction of a compound of general formula III (Ml) with a compound of general formula IV A— XM (IV) wherein Z, A, R1 , R2, m, n and X are as defined hereinbefore; Hal represents a halogen atom; and M represents a metal atom.

The halogen atom Hal may be any halogen atom, suitably a fluorine, chlorine or bromine atom are employed. The metal atom M may be any metal atom, suitably alkali metal atoms are used, sodium and potassium being preferred.

Alternatively, a compound of general formula XV (XV) wherein A, R2 and m are as defined hereinbefore, may react with R1-H, preferable in the presence of a base, if R1 is optionally substituted alkoxy, alkoxyalkoxy, alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino or alkoxyamino to give compound of general formula I.

Compounds I, wherein R1 is alkynyl or alkenyl, e. g. of the allyl or propargyl types, can be prepared from compounds I, wherein R1 is a halogen atom, preferably chlorine or bromine, by reaction of R -H or organometall derivatives thereof, preferable in the presence of a transition metal catalyst or a base.

Compounds XV can be prepared from III, wherein R1 is Hal, Z is nitrogen, Hal, R2 and m are defined as hereinbefore, by reaction with IV as described above, X means oxygen, applying about 2 equivalents of IV.

In practice, the reaction may be carried out in the absence or presence of a solvent which promotes the reaction or at least does not interfere with it. Preferred are polar, aprotic or protic solvents, suitably being Ν,Ν-dimethylformamide or dimethylsulfoxide or sulfolane, or an ether, such as tetrahydrofurane or dioxane, or alcoholes, or water or mixtures thereof. The reaction is carried out at a temperature between ambient temperature and the reflux temperature of the reaction mixture, preferably at elevated temperature, especially reflux temperature.

Compounds of formula III in which Z represents a C-H group and n is 0 may be obtained by reacting a compound of general formul (V) wherein R and m are as defined hereinbefore, with an aldehyde, suitably formaldehyde, and a dialkylamine, suitably dimethylamine, according to Org. Synthesis Col. Vol. HI, 305f, in a solvent, conveniently an alcohol, preferably ethanol, to give a compound of general formula VI, (VI) which is subsequently reacted according to DBP 21 47 288 (1971) with an ammonium salt, suitably ammonium acetate, and a compound of general formula VII, (VII) wherein Y is an alkoxy group or an NH2-group, preferably an ethoxy group, in a solvent, suitably an alcohol, preferably ethanol, to give a compound of general formula VIII, (VIII) which is further converted by reacting VIII with phosphoryl halogenides (MCiller, E., Chem. Ber. 42, 423 (1909); Katritzky et al., J. Chem. Soc, Perkin Trans. Part 1 , 1980, 2743-2754), preferably phosphoryl bromide or phosphoryl chloride at elevated temperatures, ideally reflux temperature, to give a compound of general formula III.

An alternative, and preferred process for the preparation of compounds of general formula III in which Z represents a C-H group, comprises reacting a 2,6-dihalopyridine of general formula IX (IX) wherein R and n are as defined hereinbefore, and each Ha and Ha>2 independently represents a halogen atom, with an organometallic benzene derivative of general formula (X) in an approximately equimolar ratio, (X) wherein R2 and m are defined as hereinbefore, and M represents an alkali metal atom, or borine, or tin, or magnesium, or zinc or copper optionally in the presence of a transition metal catalyst.

The alkali metal may be any alkali metal, preferably lithium, and the reaction may be carried out in an aprotic, polar solvent, preferably ethers, to give a compound of general formula III, essentially as disclosed in Cook and Wakefield, J. Chem. Soc, 1969, 2376, or in unpolar solvents or water, for example as described in Ali.N.M. et al, Tetrahedron, 1992, 8117.

Compounds of formula III, where Z means CH, Hal is fluorine, R is hydrogen, R2 and m are as defined hereinbefore, can further be converted to compounds of formula III, where n = 1, Z means CH, Hal is fluorine, R2, m are as defined hereinbefore and R is in position 3 and means methylthio (or another group from the set described before, that is introducable in form of an electrophilic reagent), analogous to the method described by Gungor, T, Marsais.F and Queguiner, G, J. Organometallic Chem., 1981, 139-150.

A process for the preparation of compounds of formula III, in which Z represents a nitrogen atom, comprises the reaction of benz general formula XI (XI) wherein R2 and m are as defined herein formula XII or a salt thereof, (XII) wherein each R1i and R12 independently are as defined hereinbefore; and the O-alkyl group is suitably methoxy or ethoxy, to give a pyrimidinone of general formula XIII, in which R1 can also be hydroxyl.

(XIII) Compounds of general formula XI are known or may be prepared according to procedures described in the art, for example in Tetrahedron, 33, 1675f (1979) and J. Org. Chem., 26, 412f. (1960).

The reaction of compounds of formulae XI and XII may be carried out according to Liebigs Ann. 1980, 1392f in an organic solvent suitably an alcohol and preferably ethanol, and in the presence of a base, suitably metal alkoxides, preferably sodium ethoxide.

Compounds of formula XIII may subsequently be converted into compounds of formula III, essentially as described in Davies and Pigott, J. Chem. Soc, 1945, 347, by reaction with a phosphoryl halogenide or thionyl hatogenide or phosgene, preferably phosphoryl chloride, phosphoryl bromide, ideally in the absence of a solvent, at elevated temperatures to obtain compounds of formula III.

Compounds of formula III in the meaning above with R1=F may be obtained from compound III when R1 is chlorine or amino according to procedures known in the art, like described in Tullock C.W. etal, J.Am.Chem.Soc. 1960, 5197 or Kiburis J. Klister J. J.Chem.SocChem.Com. 1969, 381 Compounds of general formula IV are known or may be prepared by known methods. They may be prepared and isolated separately or may be prepared in situ. Generally, a compound of general formula XIV A— XH (XIV) wherein A and X are as hereinbefore defined is reacted with a suitable metal base, for example a metal carbonate or hydride. Preferably the metal salt is a sodium or potassium salt Compounds of general formula I may, if desired, be isolated and purified using conventional techniques.

The present invention also provides an effective amount of a compound of formula I for use as a herbicide, for combating undesired plant growth at a locus by treating the locus with a composition according to the invention or a compound of formula I. As a useful action is by foliar spray application, the locus is most suitably the plants in a crop area, typical crops being cereals, maize, soya bean, sunflower or cotton. However, application may also be to the soil for those compounds having pre-emergence herbicidal action. The dosage of active ingredient used may, for example be in the range of from 0.01 to 10 kg/ha, preferably 0.05 to 1 kg/ha.

The present invention also extends to a method of making a herbicidal composition of the invention which comprises blending a compound of formula I with at least one carrier.

Preferably there are at least two carriers in a composition of the present invention, at least one of which is a surface-active agent.

A carrier in a composition according to the invention is any material with which the active ingredient is formulated to facilitate application to the locus to be treated, which may be, as appropriate, a plant, seed or soil, or to facilitate storage, transport or handling. A carrier may be a solid or a liquid, including a material which is normally gaseous but which has been compressed to form a liquid, and any of the carriers normally used in formulating herbicidal compositions may be used. Preferably compositions according to the invention contain 0.5 to 95% by weight of active ingredient.

Suitable solid carriers include natural and synthetic clays and silicates, for example natural silicates such as diatomaceous earths; magnesium silicates, for example talcs; magnesium aluminium silicates, for example attapulgites and vermiculites; aluminium silicates, for example kaolinites, montmorillonites and micas; calcium carbonate; calcium sulphate; ammonium sulphate; synthetic hydrated silicon oxides and synthetic calcium or aluminium silicates; elements, for example carbon and sulphur; natural and synthetic resins, for example coumaron resins, polyvinyl chloride, and styrene polymers and copolymers; solid polychlorophenols; bitumen; waxes; solid fertilisers, for example superphosphates.

Suitable liquid carriers include water; alcohols, for example isopropanol and glycols; ketones, for example acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone and cyclohexanone; ethers; aromatic or araliphatic hydrocarbons, for example benzene, toluene and xylene; petroleum fractions, for example kerosene and light mineral oils; chlorinated hydrocarbons, for example carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene and trichloroethane. Mixtures of different liquids are often suitable.

Agricultural compositions are often formulated and transported in a concentrated form which is subsequently diluted by the user before application. The presence of small amounts of a carrier which is a surface-active agent facilitates this process of dilution. Thus preferably at least one carrier in a composition according to the invention is a surface active agent. For example, the composition may contain at least two carriers, at least one of which is a surface-active agent.

A surface-active agent may be an emulsifying agent, a dispersing agent or a wetting agent; it may be non-ionic or ionic, examples of suitable surface-active agents include the sodium or calcium salts of polyacrylic acids and lignin suiphonic acids; the condensation products of fatty acids or aliphatic amines or amides containing at least 12 carbon atoms in the molecule with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide; fatty acid esters of glycerol, sorbitol, sucrose or pentaerythrol; condensates of these with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide; condensation products of fatty alcohol or alkyl phenols, for example β-octylphenol or β-octylcresol, with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide; sulphates or sulphonates of these condensation products; alkali or earth alkali metal salts, preferably sodium salts, or sulphuric or sulphonic acd esters containing at least 10 carbon atoms in the molecule, for example sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium secondary alkyl sulphates, sodium salts of sulphonated castor oil, and sodium alkylaryl sulphonates such as dodecylbenzene sulphonate; and polymers of ethylene oxide and copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.

The herbicidal composition of the invention may also contain other active ingredients, for example, compounds possessing insecticidal or fungicidal properties, or other herbicides.

A formulation containing a compound according to the invention can consist of 100 g of active ingredient (compound of formula I), 30 g of disperging agent, 3 g of antifoaming agent, 2 g of structure agent, 50 g of anti-freezing agent, 0.5 g of a biocidal agent and water ad 1000 ml. Prior to use it is diluted with water to give the desired concentration of active ingredient.

The following examples illustrate the invention. The structures of the compounds prepared in the following examples were additionally confirmed by N R and mass spectrometry.

Examples Example 1 : β-Dimethylamino propiophenone hydrochloride Acetophenone (29.1 ml, 0.25 mol), para-formaldehyde ( 12.0 g, 0.40 mol) and dimethyl amine hydrochloride (28.5 g, 0.35 mol) are suspended in ethanol (50 ml). Concentrated hydrochloric acid (0.5 ml) is added and the mixture is heated to reflux for 4 h. Then acetone (200 ml) is added and the resulting clear solution is allowed to cool to ambient temperature. The precipitate is collected by filtration and crystallized from ethanol yielding the title compound (40.7 g, 76.0% of theoretical yield) as colorless crystals with mp. 158°C.

Examples 2-4: Additional examples of general formula VI are prepared as exemplified by Example 1.

Details are given in Table I Ex. R2 rnp yield No. (°C) (%) 2 3-trifluoromethyl 157 63 3 2,4-dichloro 136 51 4 2,4-dimethyl 134 72 Example 5: 6-Phenyl-2-pyridone Ethyl 2-chloroacetate (10.6 ml, 0.1 mol) is slowly added to hot (105 °C) pyridine (8.9 ml, 0.11 mol whereby the temperature is maintained in the range of 100 °C to 110 °C. The resulting brown oil is dissolved in ethanol (60 ml), β-dimethylamino propiophenone hydrochloride (17.7 g, 0.1 mol; prepared according to Example 1) and ammonium acetate (60 g) are added and the mixture is boiled under reflux for 4 h. After cooling, the mixture is filtered and the solvent is evaporated in vacuo. The residue is crystallized from water, collected by filtration and purified by re-crystallization from toluene. The title compound is obtained as colorless crystals (4.7 g, 28% of th.) with mp. 200 °C.

Example 6-8: Additional examples are analogously prepared to Example 5. Details are given in Table II.

Table II (VIII) Ex. R2 mp yield No. (°C) (%) 6 3-trifluoromethyl 174 36 7 2,4-dichloro 255 56 8 2,4-dimethyl 209 23 Example 9: 2-Bromo-6-phenyl pyridine A mixture of 6-phenyl pyridone (3 g, 17.5 mmol; prepared according to Example 6) and phosphoryl bromide (7.2 g, 25.0 mmol) is heated to 100 °C for 5 h. The cooled mixture is poured into water (40 ml) and the pH is adjusted to 9 by addition of saturated aqueous sodium carbonate. Then the layers are separated and the aqueous layer is extracted with ethyl acetate (50 ml). The combined organic layers are dried with anhydrous magnesium sulphate and the solvent is evaporated in vacuo. The crude product is crystallized from aqueous ethanol. Subsequent purification by flash chromatography (silica gel, hexane/ethyl acetate 9/1 v/v) gives 2-bromo-6-phenyl pyridine (3.1 g, 76% of th.) as light brown crystals with mp 50 °C.

Examples 10-12: Additional compounds of general formula III are prepared by procedures analogous to that of Example 9. Details are given in Table III.

Table III (III) Ex. R2 mp yield No. (°C) (%) 10 3-trifluoromethyl oil 82 11 2,4-dichloro 123 88 12 2,4-dimethyl oil 68 Example 13: 2-(1 '-Methyl-3'-trifluromethyl pyrazol-5'-yloxy)-6-phenyl-pyridine A mixture of 2-bromo-6-phenyl pyridine (0.5 g, 2.1 mmol; prepared according to Example 9), 1-methyl-3-fluoromethyl-5-hydroxypyrazole (0.65 g, 3.9 mmol), potassium carbonate (0.6 g, 4.3 mmol) and Ν,Ν-dimethyl formamide (2 ml) is heated to reflux ior 12 h. Then the reaction mixture is directly applied onto a flash chromatography column (silica gel). Elution with hexane/ethyl acetate (9/1 v/v) gives the title compound(0.35 g, 52.0% of th.) as light-yellow oil.

Examples 14-16: The compounds specified in Table IV are obtained by procedures analogous to that of Example 13.

Table IV (I) Ex. A R2 mp yield No. (°C) (%) 14 1'-CH3-3'-CF3-pyrazol-5'-yl 3"-CF3 113 93 15 1'-ΟΗ3-3·-ΟΡ3^Γ3ΖθΙ-5'^Ι 2",4"-dichloro 91 78 16 1'-CH3-3'-CF3-pyrazol-5'-yl 2",4"-dimethyl oil 95 Example 17: 2-Fluoro-6-(4'-fluorophenyl)-pyridine Butyl lithium (105.0 ml, 0.26 mol, 2.5 M solution in hexane) is added to a solution of 1-bromo-4-fluoro benzene (34. 3 ml, 0.31 mol) in anhydrous diethyl ether (200 ml) at -20 °C. The mixture is stirred for 60 min and then chilled to -40 °C. 2,6-Difluoropyridine (22.7 ml, 0.25 mol) is added and the reaction mixture is allowed to warm to ambient temperature. Subsequently, the mixture is washed with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride (300 ml). The layers are separated and the aqueous layer is washed with diethyl ether 3 times (100 ml each). After drying of the combined organic layers with anhydrous magnesium sulphate, the solvent is removed in vacuo. The crude product is purified by flash column chromatography (silica gel, hexane/AcOEt 8/2) yielding colorless crystals of 2-fluoro-6-(4'-fIuorophenyl)-pyridine (19.8 g, 41.0% of th.) with mp 34 °C.

Example 18: 2-Fluoro-6-(4'-fliiorophenyl)-4-methylpyridine A mixture of 2-bromo-6-fluoro-4-methylpyridine (9.5 g, 50 mmol), 4-fluorobenzeneboronic acid (7.8 g, 56 mmol), sodium bicarbonate (12.6 g, 150 mmol), water (200 ml) and catalytic amounts of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) in DME under nitrogen is heated to reflux overnight. After filtration of the reaction mixture the solvents are removed under reduced pressure. The residue is partitionated between water and ethyl acetate. The layers are separated and the aqueous layer is washed with ethyl acetate. After drying of the combined organic layers with anhydrous magnesium sulphate, the solvent is removed in vacuo. The crude product is purified by flash column chromatography (silica gel, pentane/ethyl acetate 9/1) yielding colorless crystals of 2-fluoro-6-(4'-fluorophenyl)-4-methylpyridine (3.7 g, 36.1% of th.) with mp 49 °C.

Example 19: 2-Fluoro-6-(4'-trifluorophenyl)-3-methylthio-pyridine To a solution of 2-fluoro-6-(4'-trifluorophenyl)pyridine (2.4 g, 10 mmol, prepared according to example 17) in dry THF (35 ml) is added dropwise a solution of 2 M LDA in THF (7.5 ml, 15 mmol) at -70 °C. After 2 h at -70°C dimethyl disulfide (1.41 g, 15 mmol) is added and the reaction mixture is allowed to warm at -20 °C. The mixture is hydrolysed and extracted with diethylether. After separation the organic layer is dried with anhydrous magnesium sulphate. The solvents are removed and the crude product is purified by flash column chromatography (silica gel). Elution with hexane/ethyl acetate (20/1 v/v) gives the title compound (1.2 g, 42 %) with mp 70-73 °C.

Examples 20-23: Analogously to Example 17, the examples of general formula III are prepared as specified in Table V.

Table V mp yield (°C) (%) 20 - oil 47 21 4'-trifluoromethyl 58 75 22 3'-trifluordmethyl oil 72 23 3,4-difiuoro oil 24 Example 24: 2-(3'-Chlorpyrid-5'-yloxy)-6-(4"-fluorophenyloxy)-pyridine A mixture of 2-fluoro-6-(4'-fluoropheny!)-pyridine (1.9 g, 10.0 mmol, prepared according to Example 17), 3-chloro-5-hydroxypyridine (1.4 g, 11.0 mmol) and potassium carbonate (1.5 g, 1.0 mmol) in sulfolane (10 ml) is heated to reflux for 8 h. The mixture is allowed to cool to ambient temperature and is then filtered through a bed of silica gel which is subsequently washed with ethyl acetate. The organic solutions are combined and the solvent is evaporated in vacuo. The remaining material is applied onto the top of a flash chromatography column (silica gel) and eluted with hexane/ethyl acetate. Elution with hexane ethyl acetate (8/2 v/v) gives 2-(3'-chlorpyrid-5'-yloxy)-6-(4"-fluorophenyloxy)-pyridine (1.4 g, 46% of th.) as light brown crystals with mp 139 °C.

Examples 25-43: Additional compounds are prepared analogously to example 24. Details are found in Table VI.

Table VI (I) Ex. R A R2 mp yield No. (°C) (%) 25 - 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-fluoro oil 48 26 - 2'-chloropyrid-4'- l 4"-fluoro 137 37 27 - 2'-chloropyrid-4'-yl - 1*09 35 28 - 2'-chloropyrid-4'-yl 4"-trifluoromethyl 105 51 29 - 1 '-CHs-S'-CFs-pyrazol-S'-yl 4"-fluoro 87 44 30 - 1 '-CHa-S'-CFa-pyrazol-S'-yl 4"-trifluoromethyl 94 59 31 - 1 '-CHa-S'-CFs-pyrazol-S'-yl 3"-trifluoromethyl 112 44 32 - 2'-chloropyrid-4'-yl 3"-trifluoromethyl 92 54 33 - 2', 4'-difluorophenyl 3"-trifluoromethyl oil 72 34 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-trifluormetbyl oil 44 35 4-CH3 1 "-CHa-S'-CFa-pyrazol-S'-yl 4"-fluoro 85 43 36 -CH3 2'-chloropyrid-4'-yl 4"-fluoro 115 35 37 3-CH3S 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-trifluormethyl 133-136 67 38 3-CH3S 1 '-CH3-3'-CF3-pyrazol-5'-yl 4"-trifluormethyl 154-156 41 39 1 '-CHa-S'-CFs-pyrazol-e'-yl 3",4"-difluoro oil 29 Example 40: 4-Fluorobenzamidine hydrochloride 4-Fluorobenzonitrile {10 g, 83 mmol) is dissolved in a mixture of anhydrous ethanol (5 ml) and diethyl ether (70 ml). The reaction mixture is cooled to ice-bath temperature and saturated with gaseous hydrogen chloride for 90 minutes. The mixture is allowed to warm to ambient temperature and stirred overnight.

The colourless precipitates are filtered off, washed with diethyl ether and dissolved in anhydrous ethanol (20 ml). Diethyl ether (100 ml) saturated with gaseous ammonia is added and the solution is stirred for 3 hours.

The resulting suspension is filtered and the solvent of the filtrate is removed in vacuo. The residue is washed with diisopropyl ether. After drying colourless crystals (5.15g, 35.5%) of melting point 210°C are obtained.

Examples 41 to 50: By methods analogous to that of example 40, further compounds of the general formula XI are prepared. Details are given in table VII.

(XI) ΕΞχ. R2 mp yield No. (°C) (%) 41 4-trifIuoromethyl 167 21.4 42 3-methyl 243 29.7 43 3-chloro 148 17.5 44 3,4-difluoro 185 17.4 45 3-trifluoromethyl 181 17.6 46 3-fluoro 143 20.0 47 4-bromo 245 39 48 4-chloro >250 85 49 4-'bu 153 92 50 4-trifluormethoxy 210 57 Example 51 : 2-(4'-Fluorophenv0-5-methyl-4-pyrimidinone Sodium hydride (0.52 g, 13 mmol) is added to 20ml of anhydrous ethanol and stirred for 30 minutes at ambient temperature. To this, 4-fIuorobenzamidine hydrochloride (1.47 g, 8.5 mmol) (from example 40) is added and the mixture is stirred for further 30 minutes. Methyl 2-formylpropionate (1 g, 10.6 mmol) is added dropwise and the reaction mixture is left for 4 days under stirring at ambient temperature.

After cooling, the solvent is removed in vacuo and the residue is dissolved in aqueous sodium hydroxide (10 ml, 1M). Then the mixture is brought to pH 5 with 2 molar hydrochloric acid. The precipitate is filtered off and washed with diisopropyl ether. After drying, colourless crystals (0.44g, 0.3%) of melting point >250°C are obtained.

Example 52: 6-Hydroxy-2-(4' rifluoromethylphenyl)-4-pyrimidinone 4-Trifluormethylbenzamidine hydrochlorid (22.4 g, 0.1 mol, from example 41) is added to a solution of potassium methylate (0.22 mol) in anhydrous methyl alcohole (65 ml) and stirred for 15 minutes at ambient temperature. Dimethyl malonate (12.6 ml, 0.11 mol) is added and the mixture ist heated to reflux for 4 hours. After cooling, the resulting suspension is diluted with methyl alcohole (50 ml).

The solvent is removed in vacuo and the residue is dissolved in water (50ml). Then the mixture is brought to pH 1 with concentrated hydrochloric acid. The precipitate is filtered off and washed with water. After drying, pale yellow crystals (15.1g, 59%) of melting point >200°C are obtained.

Example 53: 5-Methoxy-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-pyrimidinone To a suspension of sodium hydride (60 %, 6 g, 0.15 mol) in dry THF (225 ml) a solution of methyl methoxyacetate (14.9 ml, 0.15 mol) in methyl formate (11.1 ml, 0.18 mol) is added during a period of 30 min. The mixture is stirred for 2 hours at ambient temperature. After adding of diethylether (300 ml) the resulting sodium salt of methyl methoxymalonate monoaldehyde can be isolated by suction. Now the sodium salt (0.075 mol) is added to 4-trifluoromethylbenzamidine hydrochloride (16.8 g, 0.075 mol, from example 41) in dry ethyl alcohole (150 ml) and the mixture is stirred for 48 hours at ambient temperature. After heating to reflux for 1 hour water (100 ml) is added to the mixture and the soluion is filtered.

The fiiltrate is brought to pH 5 with acetic acid and the ethyl alcohole is removed in vacuo. The precipitate is filtered off and washed with ethyl alcohole. After drying crystals (13.7g, 68%) of melting point >200°C are obtained.

Examples 54 to 78 By the method exemplified in example 53, further compounds of the general formula III are prepared. Details are given in table VIII.

Table VIII R (III) Ex. R1 R2 mp yield No. (°C) (%) 4 6-methyl 4'-fluoro 267 56.8 5 5-methyl 4'-trifluoromethyl .>250 58.7 6 6-methyl 4'-trifluoromethyl 209 82.2 7 5-methyl 3 -methyl 169 34.3 8 6-methyl 3'-methyl 185 41.6 9 5-methyl 3'-chloro 260 61.4 0 6-methyl 3'-chloro 218 51 1 5-methyl 3',4'-difluoro >250 59.4 2 6-methyl 3',4'-difiuoro 225 51.3 3 5-methyl 3'-trifluoromethyl 204 39.8 4 6-methyl 3'-trifluoromethyl 109 26.6 5 5,6-dimethyl 3'-trifiuoromethyl 215 70.4 6 5,6-dimethyl 4'-trifluoromethyl 242 63.5 7 5-methyl 4 -chloro >250 27.2 8 6-methyl 4'-chloro 227 6.8 9 5-methyl 3'-fluoro 238 56 0 6-methyl 3'-fluoro 194 48.4 1 6-ethyl 4'-trifluoromethyl 181 87 2 5-methyl 4'-bromo >250 20 3 6-methyl 4'-bromo 245 39 4 5-methyl 4'-'bu 218 81 5 6-methyl 4'-'bu 213 75 6 5,6-dimethyl 4'-chloro 276 44 5,6-dimethyl 4'-trifluoromethoxy 228 6-methyl 4'-trifluoromethoxy 196 Example 79: 2-(4'-Fluorophenyl)-4-chloro-5-methylpyrimidine A mixture of 2-(4'-fluorophenyl)-5-methyl-4-pyrimidinone (0.79 g, 3.9 mmoi) (from example 55) and phosphorous oxychloride (3 ml) is heated to reflux for 1 hour.

The main excess of phosphorous oxychloride is removed in vacuo and the residue is quenched with water (10 ml) to hydrolyze the remaining reagent. The mixture is neutralized and then extracted with ethyl acetate (50 ml). After drying of the organic layer with anhydrous magnesium sulphate, the solvent is removed in vacuo. The title compound. (0.63g, 72.6%) is obtained as colourless crystals of melting point 133°.

Example 80: 2-(4'-Chlorophenyl)-4.5-dichloro-6-methoxypyrimidine To a solution of 2-(4'-chlorophenyl)-4,5,6-trichloropyrimidine (1.85 g, 6.3 mmoi) in methyl alcohole (30 ml) and THF (60 ml) is added a solution of sodium (0.145 g, 6.3 mmoi) in methyl alcohole (10 ml) and the mixture is stirred at ambient temperature overnight. After removal of the solvents in vacuo dichloromethane is added to the residue and the resulting mixture is washed with water. After drying of the organic layer with anhydrous magnesium sulphate, the solvent is removed. Treating of the residue with pentane affords the title compound (1.75g, 96 %) as colourless crystals of melting point 157-159°C.

Examples 81-108: The compounds of general formula (XIII) listed in table IX are prepared analogously to the method of example 83.

(III) Ex. R1 R2 mp yield No. CO (%) 81 6-methyl 4'-fluoro 143 97 82 6-methyl 4,-trifluoromethyl 62 71.8 83 5-methyl 4'-trifluoromethyl 109 87.3 84 5-methyl 3'-methyl 154 98.8 85 6-methyl 3'-methyl 134 73.7 86 5-methyl 3'-chloro 87 94.1 87 6-methyl 3'-chloro 101 26.1 88 5-methyl 3',4'-difluoro 114 92 89 6-methyl 3',4'-difluoro 94 90.7 90 5,6-dimethyl 3'-trifluoromethyl 83 81.6 91 5,6-dimethyl 4'-trifluoromethyl 57 54.5 92 5-methyl 3'-trifluoromethyl 101 81.4 93 6-methyl 3'-trifluoromethyl 62 87.3 94 5-methyl 4'-chloro 162 85.2 95 6-methyl 4'ichloro 101 83.6 96 5-methyl 3'-fluoro 95 83.7 97 6-methyl 3'-fluoro 86 71.5 98 6-ethyl 4'-trifluoromethyl 35 86 99 5-methyl 4'-bromo 156-158 94 100 6-methyl 4 -bramo 110-112 94 101 5-methyl 4"-¾u 103-105 98 102 6-methyl 4'-'bu 70-72 99 103 5,6-dimethyl 4'-chloro 87 71 104 5,6-dimethyl 4'-trifluoromethoxy 76 81 105 5-methyl 4'-trifiuoromethoxy 129 91 106 6-methyl 4'-trifluoromethoxy 64 94 107 6-chloro 4'-trifluoromethyl 80 33 108 5-methoxy 4'-trifluoromethyl 108 31 Example 109: 2-(4'-Fluorophenyl)^-(3"-trifluoromethylphenoxy)-6-methylpyrirni(-ine A mixture of 2-(4'-fluorophenyl)-4-chloro-6-methylpyridine (0.6 g, 2.7 mmol) (from example 85), α,α,α-3-hydroxybenzotrifluoride (0.49 g, 3 mmol) and potassium carbonate (0.41 g, 3 mmol) in N.N-dimethylformamide (3 ml) is heated to reflux for 2 hours.

After cooling, ethyl acetate (10 mi) is added and the suspension is filtered through a bed of silica gel using ethyl acetate. The solvent of the filtrate is removed in vacuo and the residue purified by flash silica gel column chromatography using hexane/ethyl acetate 7/2. Removal of the solvent affords colourless crystals (0.53g, 56.4%) of melting point 58°C.

Examples 110-183: Further compounds of the general formula I are prepared by the procedure of example 109. Details are given in table X.

Table X Ex. R1 R2 A mp yield No. (°C) (%) 10 5-methyl 4'-fluoro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 133 54.7 11 6-methyl 4'-fluoro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 123 21 12 6-methyl 4*-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-y I 98 39.5 13 6-methyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-pheny! 89 79.9 14 5-methyl 4 -CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 147 27.6 15 5-methyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 95 97.6 16 5-methyl 3 -CH3 1 M-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 121 74.9 17 5-methyl 3'-CH3 3"-CF3-phenyl 71 74.5 118 6-methyl 3'-CH3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 113 74.9 119 6-met yl 3'-CH3 3"-CF3-phenyl 60 73.2 120 5-methyl 3 -chloro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5,,-yl 116 35.4 121 5-methyl 3'-chloro 3"-CF3-phenyl 105 52.4 122 6-methyl 3'-chloro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 96 27.1 123 5-methyl 2',4'-difluoro 3"-CF3-phenyl 68 40.4 124 5-methyl 2',4'-difluoro 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 146 58.8 125 6-methyl 2',4'-difluoro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 78 56.4 126 6-methyl 2',4'-difluoro 3"-CF3-phenyl 64 65.3 127 6-methyl 2',4'-difluoro 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 162 31.7 128 5-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 99 44.1 129 5,6-dimethyl 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-py razol-5*'-yl 136 13.2 130 5,6-dimethyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 73 65.6 131 5,6-dimethyl 3'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 132 30.3 132 5,6-dimethyl 3'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 105 67.5 133 6-methyl 4 -CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-C2F5-py razol-5"-y I 128 41 134 6-methyl 4 -CF3 2",2"-difluoro-1",3"-benzodioxol-4"-yl 86 85 135 6-ethyl 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 75 46 136 6-ethyl 4 -CF3 2"-chlorapyrid-4"-yl 97 41 137 6-methyl 3'-CF3 4" -fluorophenyl 78 92 138 6-ethyl 4 -CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 65 38 139 5-methyl 3"-CF3 4"-fluorophenyl ' 109-111 86 140 5-methyl 4'-Br 3"-CF3-phenyl 110 100 141 6-methyl 4'-Br 3"-CF3-phenyl 86-88 89 142 5-methyl 4'-'Bu 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-py razol-5"-y I 149-151 92 143 6-methyl 4"-'Bu 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 119-121 78 144 5-methyl 4'-,Bu 3"-CF3-phenyl 123-124 91 145 6-methyl 4'-'Bu 3"-CF3-phenyl oil 99 146 6-methyl 4'-CI 3"-CF3-phenyl 68 29 147 5,6-dimethyl 4'-CI 1"· ■CH3-3,,-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 142 49 148 5,6-dimethyl 4 -CI 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 150 36 149 5,6-dimethyl 4'-CI 3"-CF3-phenyl 102 66 150 5-methyl 1". -CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 140-150 75 151 5,6-dimethyl 3'-F 1». -CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 117 70 152 5-methyl 4'-CI 1». -CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 141 58 153 5-methyl 4'-CI 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 125 31 154 5-methyl 4'-CI 3"-CF3-phenyl 101 52 155 6-methyl 4"-CI 1». -CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 99 37 156 6-methyl 4 -CI 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 151 8 157 5-methyl 3',4'-difluoro 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 146 59 158 6-methyl 3',4'-difluoro 1». ■CHs-y-CFs-pyrazol-S' -yl 78 56 159 6-methyl 3',4'-difluoro 3"-CF3-phenyl 64 65 160 6-methyl 3',4'-difluoro 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 162 32 161 5-methyl 4'-CF30 1". -CH3-3"-CH3-pyrazol-5"-yl 117-121 58 162 6-methyl 4'-CF30 1». -CH3-3"-CH3-pyrazol-5"-yl 102-104 46 163 5-methyl 4'-CF30 r '-CHs-S^bu-pyrazol-^-yl 96-98 58 164 6-methyl 4'-CF30 V '-CH3-3"-'bu-pyrazol-5"-yl 88-89 78 165 6-methyl 4'-CF3 Y ,-CH3-3"-,bu-pyrazol-5"-yl 87-90 83 166 6-methyl 4'-CF30 3"-CF3-phenyl 52 73 167 6-methyl 4'-CF30 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 72 32 168 5-methyl 4'-CF30 3"-CF3-phenyl 83 80 169 5-methyl 4'-CF30 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 82 43 170 5,6-dimethyl 4'-CF30 3"-CF3-phenyl 75 66 171 5,6-dimethyl 4'-CF30 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 107 54 172 5-methyl 3',4'-difluoro 3"-CF3-phenyl 68 40 173 6-methyl 4'-CF30 1" -CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 116 43 174 5-methyl 4'-CF30 1" -CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 98 67 175 5,6-dimethyl 4'-CF30 1" -CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 128 45 176 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CI 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 89-91 100 177 6-methox methyl 4'-CI 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 113-115 94 178 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CI 3"-CF3-phenyl 140-142 92 179 5-methoxy 4'-CF3 2"-chloropyrid-4n-yl 96 92 180 5-methoxy 4--CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 80 95 181 5-chloro-6-methoxy 4'-CI 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 173-176 95 182 5-chloro-6-methoxy 4 -CI 3"-CF3-phenyl 95-98 100 183 5-methoxy 4 -CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 80 180 Example 184: 4,6-Bis(2"-chloropyrid-4"-yloxy)-2-(4'-trifluorrnethylDhenvnpyrimidine A mixture of 4,6-dichloro-2-(4'-trifluormethylphenyl)pyrimidine (2.93 g, 10 mmol) (from example 111 ), 2-chloro-4-hydroxypyridine (2.85 g, 22 mmol) and potassium carbonate (3.04 g, 22 mmol) in anhydrous N,N-dimethylformamide (20 ml) is heated at 80°C for 1 hour.

After cooling, the solvent is removed in vacuo, ethyl acetate/hexane 1/1 (10 ml) is added and the suspension is filtered through a bed of silica gel. The resulting solution is washed 3 times with water. After drying of the organc layer with anydrous magnesium sulphate, the solvent is removed and the residue is purified by flash silica gel chromatography using hexane/ethyl acetate 8/2. Removal of the solvent affords colourless crystals (4.1g, 86 %) of melting point 141°C.

Examples 185-187 The compounds of general formula (XV a) listed in table XI are prepared analogously to the method of example 184.

Table XI (XV a) Ex. R2 A mp yield No. (°C) (%) 185 4'-trifluoromethyl 1"-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 168 86 186 4'-trifluoromethyl 3"-CF3-phenyl 92 88 187 4'-chloro 1"-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 156 93 Example 188 6-Methoxy-4-(2''-chloropyrid-4"-yloxy)-2-(4'-trifluormethylphenvnDyrimidine 4,6-Bis(2"-chloropyrid-4''-yloxy)-2-(4'-trifluormethylphenyl)pyrimidine (2.0 g, 4.2 mmol) (from example 184) is dissolved in anhydrous methyl alcohole (5ml), a solution of potassium methylate (4.2 mmol) in methyl alcohole (1.2 ml) is added dropwise to this solution and the mixture is heated to reflux for 30 min.

The solvent is removed in vacuo and the residue is purified by flash silica gel chromatography using hexane/ethyl acetate 9/1. Removal of the solvents affords colourless crystals (1.0, 62 %) of melting point 128°C.

Example 189 4.6-Dibromo-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)pyrimidine A mixture of 4,6-dihydroxy-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)pyrimidine (5.12 g, 20 mmol) and phosphorous oxybromide (10 ml) is heated for 3 hours at 100 °C. The resulting hot suspension is added to ice and the product can be isolated by suction. After drying, one obtain nearly colourless crystals (6.5g, 86 %) of melting point 87 °C.

Examples 190-203 Compounds of the general formula I are prepared by the procedures of example 188 or 109. Details are given in table XII.

Table XII Ex. R1 R2 A mp yield No. CO (%) 190 6-methoxy 4'-CF3 1 ,,-CH3-3,,-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 130 64 191 6-methoxy 4"-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 94 94 192 6-methylthio 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 127 55 193 6-methylthio 4'-CF3 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 106 41 194 6-dimethylamino 4-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 148 90 195 6-ethylamino 4-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-py razol-5"-y I 102 23 196 6-methoxy 4 -CI 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 144 80 197 6-methoxyamino 4'-CI 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 178 16 198 6-dimethylamino 4 -CI 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-y I 143 13 199 6-amino 4'-CI 1"-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 149 80 200 6-methylamino 4 -CI 1 "-CH3-3' -CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 114 97 201 6-bromo 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-y I 110 57 202 6-chloro 4'-CI 1 "-CH3-3"'-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 122 26 203 6-chloro 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 113 69 Example 204 6-Vinyl^4-(1"-methyl-3"-trifluormethylpyrazol-5"-yl)-2-(4'-trifluormethylphenvnpyrimidine A mixture of 6-bromo-4-(1"-methyl-3"-trifluormethylpyrazol-5"-yl)-2-(4'-trifluormethylphenyl)-pyrimidine (2 g, 4.3 mmol, from example 201 ), vinyltributylstannate (1.4 ml, 4.7 mmol), tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (0.1 g, 0.09 mmol), toluene (20ml) and 3 crystalls of 2,6- diferfbutyl-4-methylphenol is heated to reflux for 90 min. After cooling, a 1.2 N solution of pyridinium fluoride in THF/pyridine (4 ml) and pyridine (2ml) is added. The solution is stirred for 17 h at ambient temperature. To the resulting mixture ethyl acetate (100 ml) is added and the solution is washed twice with water and a satured solution of sodium bicarbonate. After drying of the organc layer with anydrous magnesium sulphate, the solvent is removed and the residue is purified by flash silica gel chromatography using hexane/ethyl acetate 7/3. Removal of the solvent affords nearly colourless crystals (1.45g, 82 %) of melting point 1 2°C.

Examples 205-214: Additional compounds are prepared analogously to example 24. Details are found in Table XIII.

Table XIII (I) Ex. R1 A R2 mp No. (°C) 05 3-ethyl 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-trifluoromethyl 72-75 06 5-ethyl 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-trifluoromethyl 44-46 07 4-methyl 1 '-CH3-3*-CF3-pyrazol-5'-yl 4"-trifluoromethyl 98 08 4-methyl 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-trifluoromethyl oil 09 4-methyl 1 '-CH3-3'-CF3-pyrazol-5'-yl 3",5"-dichloro 117 10 4-methyl 1 '-CHs-S'-CFs-p razol-S'- l 3",5"-di(trifluoromethyl) 126 11 4-methyl 1 '-CH^-CF pyrazol-S -yl 3"-chloro-4"- fluoro 101 12 4-methyl 1 '-CH3-3'-CF3-pyrazol-5'-yl 3",4"-dichloro 97 13 3-methyl 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-trifluoromethyl 71-73 14 3-methyl 1 '-CH3-3'-CF3-pyrazol-5'-yl 4"-trifluormethyl 130-133 Examples 215-221: Additional compounds are prepared analogously to example 188 starting with 2,4-bisaryloxy-6' arylpyridines. Details are found in Table XIV.

Table XIII Ex. R1 A R2 mp No. <°C) 215 4-methoxy 1 '-CHa-S'-CFs-pyrazol-S'-yi 4"-trifluoromethyl 102 216 4-methyl- 1 '-CH3-3'-CF3-py razol-5-yl 4"-trifluoromethyl 168 amino 217 4-methoxy 3'-CF3-phenyl 4"-trifluoromethyl oil 218 4-C2H5 1 '-CHs-S'-CFs-pyrazol-S'-yl 4"-trifluormethyl 61 219 4-CH3 2'-difluoromethoxypyrid-4'-yl 4"-trifluormethyl 76-79 220 4-CH3 2'-trifluoromethylpyrid-4'-yl 4"-trifluormethyl 112-115 221 4-C2H5 2'-trifluoromethylphenyl 4"-trifluormethyl oil The required 2,4-bisaryloxy-6-arylpyridines are obtained in anlogous way as explizitly descibed below for 2.4-Bis-(1"-methyl-3''-trifluoromethylpyrazol-5' loxy)-6-(4'-trifluormethylphenvnpyridine A mixture of 4-nitro-2,6-dichloropyridine (3.9 g, 20 mmol), 1-methyl-3-trifluoromethyl-5- hydroxypyrazole (7.3 g, 44 mmol) and potassium carbonate (6.7 g, 48 mmol) in anhydrous sulfoiane is heated to 110 °C overnight. The reaction mixture is cooled to ambient temperature, deluted with pentane/ethyl acetate (volume ration of 1/1) and filtered through a bed of silica gel. The filtrate is washed 10 times with water, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and the solvents are removed in vacuo. The residue is purified by flash silica gel chromatography using pentane/ethyl acetate. One obtains 2,4-bis-(1'-methyl-3'-trifluoromethylpyrazol-5'-yloxy)-6- chloropyridine (4.3 g, m.p.:105°C).

A mixture of bis(benzonitrile)palladium(ll)chloride (0.19 g, 0.5 mmol) and 1 ,4- bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (0.2 g, 0.5 mmol) in anhydrous toluene (10 ml) is heated to reflux under a atmosphere of nitrogen. After 2 hours 4-trifluoromethylbenzeneboronic acid (1.2 g, 6.5 mmol), 2,4-bis-(1"-methyl-3"-trifluoromethylpyrazol-5"-yloxy)-6-chloropyridine (2.2 g, 5 mmol). ethanof (2.5 ml) and a 1 M hydrous solution of sodium carbonate (5 ml) is added and the mixture is heated to reflux for additional 2 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere. The reaction mixture is deiuted with ethyl acetate and filtered through a bed of silica gel. The filtrate is washed with water, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and the solvents are removed in vacuo. The residue is purified by flash silica gel chromatography using pentane/ethyl acetate (volume ratio 8/2). One obtain colorless crystals of the title compound (2 g, 73 % yield) of melting point 133 °C Examples 222-300: Further compounds of the general formula I are prepared by the procedure of example 113. Details are given in table XIV.

Table XIV (I) Ex. R1 R2 A mp No. (°C) 22 5-methyl 4 -CF3 4"-chloro-pyrimidine-6"-yl 107 23 6-methylthio 4'-chloro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 131 24 6-bromo 4'-CF3 2"-chloro-pyridine-4"-yl 108 25 6-bromo 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 96 26 6-(dimethylamino)- 4'-chloro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 126 methylenamino 27 6-ethinyl 4'-CF3 1 "-CHs-^-CFs-pyrazol-S -yl 117 28 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 114-116 29 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-4"-fluorophenyl 71-73 30 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CF3 2"-chloro-pyridine-4"-yl 100-102 231 4,5-dichloro 4'-chloro 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 156-160 232 6-methyl 4'-S02CH3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 132 233 6-methyl 4'-S02CH3 3"-CF3-phenyl 162 234 6-methyl 4'-S02CH3 2"-chloro-pyrid-4"-yl 168 235 4-fluoro 4'-CF3 1 "-CHs-S^CFs-pyrazol-S^yl 124 236 6-ethyl 4"-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-py razol-5"-y I 90 237 6-ethyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 77 238 6-ethyl 4"-CF3 2"-chloro-pyrid-4"-yl 97 239 6-ethyl 4'-CF3 4"-chloro-pyrimidine-6"-yl 86 240 6-ethyl 4"-CF3 6"-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-pyrimidine-. 105 4"-yl 241 6-ethyl 4-CF3 2",6"-dichloro-pyrid-4"-yl 158 242 6-ethyl 4'-CF3 6"-cyano-pyrid-4"-yl 130 243 6-ethyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-4"-fluoropheriyl 62 244 4-chloro 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 89 245 4-chloro 4"-CF3 2"-chloro-pyrid-4"-yl 104 246 4-chloro 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-C2F5-pyrazol-5"-yl 108 247 6-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-difluoromethoxy-pyrid-4"-yl 89-92 248 4-methylamino 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-py razol-5"-yl 167 249 6-ethoxy 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 162 250 6-(2-fluoroethoxy) 4'-CF3 1 "-CHs-^-CFs- yrazoW-yl 148 251 6-(2,2,2- 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 133 trifluoroethoxy) 252 6-allyloxy 4'-CF3 1 M-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 127 253 5,6-diethoxy 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 93 254 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 56-59 255 6-cyanomethyl 4'-CF3 1 "-CH 3-3"-CF3-py razol-5"-y I 127-130 256 6-hydrazino 4'-CF3 1 "-C H3-3"-C F3-py razol-5"-y I 187 257 4-fluoro 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl oil 258 4-fluoro 4'-CF3 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 136 259 4-iodo 4'-CF3 1 "-CHs-y-CFs-pyrazol-ff'-yl 108 260 6-methyl 4'-CHCI2 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 116 261 6-difluoromethoxy 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 92-95 262 4-chloro-5-methyl 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-py razol-5"-yl 146 263 4-f!uoro-5-methyl 4'-CF3 1 *'-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 150 264 4-fluoro-5-methyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 69 265 4-fIuoro-5-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 129 266 6-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-trifluoromethylpyrid-4"-yl 105 267 6-methyl 4'-CN 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 177 268 5-chloro 4'-CF3 1"-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 135-140 269 6-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)pyrid-4"-yl 104-106 270 4-chloro 4"-CF3 2"-difluoromethoxypyrid-4"-yl 101-104 271 6-methyl 4"-CF3 3"-CN-phenyl 138 272 5-isopropyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF3-phenyl 66 273 6-methoxy 4'-CF3 2"-trifluoromethylpyrid-4"-yl 84 274 5-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-trifluoromethylpyrid-4"-yl 109 275 4-chlorp 4'-CF3 2"-trifluoromethylpyrid-4"-yl 97 276 6-methyl 4',5,-di(CF3) 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-pyrazol-5"-yl 132 277 6-methyl 4',5'-di(CF3) 3"-CF3-phenyl 93 278 6-methyl 4',5'-di(CF3) 2"-chloropyrid-4"-yl 128 279 4-difluoromethoxy 4'-CF3 1 "-CH3-3"-CF3-py razol-5"-yl 108-110 280 6-methoxy 4'-CF3 2"-difluoramethoxypyrid-4"-yl 88-91 281 5-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-difluoromethoxypyrid-4"-yl 101-103 282 4-chloro 4'-CF3 2"-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)pyrid-4"-yl 98-101 283 6-methoxy 4'-CF3 2"-(2,212-trifluoroethoxy)pyrid-4"-yl 91-94 284 5-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)pyrid-4"-yl 74-76 285 5-methyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF30-phenyl 73 286 6-methyl 4'-CF3 3"-CF30-phenyl 63 287 5-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-cyanopyrid-4"-yl 133 288 5-methyl 4 -CF3 2"-pentafluoroethylpyrid-4"-yl 134 289 6-methyl 4 -CF3 2"-pentafluoroethylpyrid-4"-yl 91 290 6-methoxymethyl 4 -CF3 2"-trifluoromethylpyrid-4"-yl 70 291 6-methoxy 4'-CF3 2"-pentafluoroethylpyrid-4"-yl 100 292 6-ethyl 4"-CF3 2"-trifluoromethylpyrid-4"-yl 59 293 6-ethyl 4'-CF3 2"-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)pyrid-4"-yl 86 294 6-ethyl 4'-CF3 2"-difluoromethoxypyrid-4"-yl 92 295 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CF3 2"-difluoromethoxypyrid-4"-yl 118 296 6-methoxymethyl 4'-CF3 2"-(2,2,2-trifiuoroethoxy)pyrid-4"-yl 103 297 6-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-(1 ,1 ,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)pyrid-4"-yI 298 6-methyl 4'-CF3 2"-difluoromethylthiopyrid-4"-yl 70-73 299 5-methyl 4"-CF3 2"-difiuoromethylthiopyrid-4"-yl 80-95 300 6-methoxy 4'-CF3 2"-difluoromethylthiopyrid-4"-yl 67-70 Example 301: Herbicidal activity To evaluate their herbicidal activity, compounds according to the invention are tested using a representative range of plants: TRZAS Triticum aestivum HORVW Hordeum vulgare GOSHI Gossypium hirsutum HELAN Helianthus annuus ORYSA Oryza sativa GLXMA Glycine max BEAVA Beta vulgaris ZEAMX Zea mays ALOMY Alopecurus myosuroides AVEFA Avena fatua ECHCG Echinocloa crus-galli SETVI Setaria viridis GALAP Galium aparine STEME Stellaria media CHEAL Chenopodium album VERPE Veronica persica LAMPU Lamium purpureum VIOAR Viola arvensis SIDSP Sida spinosa AMBAR Ambrosia artemisifolia ABUTH Abutilon theophrasti IPOPU Ipomoea purpurea SINAL Sinapis alba AMARE Amaranth us retroflexus The tests fall into two categories, pre-emergence and post-emergence. The pre-emergence tests involve spraying a liquid formulation of the compound onto the soil in which the seeds of the plant species mentioned above had recently be sown. The post-emergence tests involve spraying seedlings of the above species with a such a formulation.

The soil used in the tests is a prepared horticultural loam. The formulations used in the test are prepared from solutions of the test compounds in acetone containing 0.4% by weight of an alkylphenyl/ethylene oxide condensate surfactant available under the trade mark TRITON X 155. The acetone solutions are diluted with water and the resulting formulations at dosage levels corresponding to 1000 g or 300 g of active material per hectare in a volume equivalent to 400 litres per hectare. In the pre-emergence tests untreated sown soil and in the post-emergence tests untreated soil bearing untreated seedling plants are used as controls.

The herbicidal effects of the test compounds are assessed visually twenty days after spraying the foliage and the soil (in the case of examples 13-16 thirteen days after treatment) and are recorded on a 0-9 scale. A rating 0 indicates growth as untreated control, a rating 9 indicates death. An increase of 1 unit on the linear scale approximates to a 10% increase in the level of effect. An asterisk indicates that the specified plant species was not treated in the test.

The results of the test are set out in the tables shown below in which the compounds are identified by reference to the preceding examples. An asterisk indicates that the specified plant species was not treated in the test.

Table XV Efficacy of the compounds of the invention in pre-emergence and post-emerbence application T H G H O G B Z A A E S G S C V L V S A A I S A R O O E R L E E L V C E A T H E A I I M B P I M Z R S L Y X A A O E H T L E E R M O D B U o N A ΕΞχ. dose appl. A V H A S M V M M F C V A M A P P A S A T P A R No g/ha time W W I N A A A X Y A G I P E L E U R P R H u L E 13 100 pre * * * * 0 0 4 2 * 2 4 * * * * * * * * * * * 5 * 0 post * * * * 2 5 8 4 * 2 5 * * * * * * * * * * * 8 * 14 100 pre * * * * 3 4 9 9 * 6 8 * * * * * * * * * * * 8 * * 0 post * * * 4 6 9 6 * 6 7 * * * * * * * * * * 8 * * * * * 0 2 8 2 * 2 5 * * * * * * * * * * 15 00 pre 6 * 0 post * * * * 2 6 9 5 * 2 7 * * ★ * * * * * * * * 6 * 16 100 pre * * * * 0 0 2 0 * 0 2 * * * * * * * * * * * 2 * 0 post * * * 0 2 7 4 * 2 2 * * * * * * * * * * 5 * 24 300 pre 1 0 0 0 * * * 0 0 * * 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 * * 0 * * post 0 0 1 1 * * * 1 0 * * 0 0 0 * 0 0 * * * 0 * * 25 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * * * 0 0 * * 1 0 0 * 0 * 0 * * * 0 * * post 0 0 1 2 * * * 2 0 * * 0 0 0 1 * 1 * * * 1 * * * 26 300 pre 1 0 * 1 * * * 1 * * 0 2 0 0 0 * * * * 0 0 * 0 post 1 2 * 3 * * * 2 * * * 0 2 4 0 4 * * * * 4 1 * 5 27 300 pre 0 0 * 0 * * * 0 * * * 0 0 0 0 0 * * * 0 0 * 0 post 2 2 * 3 * * * 3 * * * 1 1 2 0 3 * * * * 3 2 * 4 * * * 28 300 pre 0 3 0 0 3 5 * 6 9 2 7 * 9 8 8 4 4 4 2 * 9 post 3 3 4 5 * * * 4 5 * 4 6 5 4 * 6 * 6 6 5 4 4 * 6 29 300 pre 0 1 * 0 * * * 0 * * * 8 0 7 8 8 * * * * 0 0 * 9 post 4 3 * 4 * * * 3 * * * 3 3 5 6 8 * * * * 5 4 * 7 30 300 pre 4 6 3 3 * * * 4 9 * 8 9 6 9 * 9 9 8 8 8 6 6 * 9 post 4 5 6 6 * * * 4 6 * 6 7 5 6 * 6 * 7 8 5 6 6 * 5 31 300 pre 1 4 2 0 * 3 * .1 8 * 5 9 7 9 * 9 9 8 * * 8 5 * 9 post 3 5 8 5 * 5 * 8 7 * 4 7 6 7 * 9 7 8 * * 8 6 * 7 32 300 pre 1 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 3 * 2 8 1 6 * 8 3 8 * * 3 1 * 9 post 2 2 5 4 * 3 * 3 3 * 2 4 4 5 * 9 5 7 * * 4 5 5 T H G H O G B Z A A E S G S C V L V S A A I S A R O O E R L E E L V C E A T H E A I I M B P I M Z R S L Y X A A O E H T L E E R M O D B U O N A ΕΞχ. dose appl. A V H A S M V M M F C V A M A P P A S A T P A R No g/ a time W W I N A A A X Y A G I P E L E U R P R H U L E 33 300 pre 2 0 0 0 * 2 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 * * 0 5 * 0 post 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 0 0 2 0 0 * 0 0 0 * * 0 1 * 0 * 34 300 pre 1 3 3 * 3 1 * 2 7 * 8 8 2 8 9 8 9 * 8 3 5 * 8 post 2 2 5 * 2 7 * 2 4 * 4 5 6 6 * 9 6 6 * 5 6 6 * 7 39 300 pre 1 3 0 * * 0 * 0 5 * 4 9 2 9 * 9 8 9 * 3 3 3 * 9 * post 1 2 4 * * 3 * 3 3 2 7 5 5 * 9 5 7 * 3 3 5 * 5 109 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * * * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 * 6 post 0 0 2 0 * * * 0 0 * 0 1 0 0 0 7 0 0 1 * 0 2 * 1 * 110 300 pre 3 4 2 1 * * 2 8 * 6 9 2 9 * 9 9 9 9 * 5 3 * 9 post 4 5 6 6 * * * 4 7 * 7 6 8 7 * 9 7 8 6 * 6 4 * 6 111 300 pre 1 3 0 0 * * * 0 8 * 9 5 9 8 9 8 * 6 5 3 * 9 post 3 3 5 5 * * * 4 4 * * 6 6 8 9 9 8 6 * 6 4 * 6 112 300 pre 3 5 6 3 * 5 * 4 9 * 8 9 8 9 * 9 9 8 * * 8 9 * 9 post 4 5 8 8 * 8 * 5 7 * 6 8 7 8 + 9 8 9 * * 8 7 8 113 300 pre 3 6 6 2 * 3 * 3 9 * 8 9 8 9 * 9 8 8 * * 9 9 * 9 post 4 5 8 8 * 8 * 5 6 ★ 7 9 7 8 * 9 8 8 * * 8 8 * 7 114 300 pre 4 5 8 3 * 4 * 3 8 * 8 9 8 9 * 9 8 8 * * 9 9 * 9 post 4 5 8 6 * 6 * 6 8 * 5 8 7 8 * 9 8 8 * * 8 8 * 7 * 115 300 pre 4 7 8 3 * 5 4 8 * 8 9 8 9 * 9 9 8 * * 9 9 * 9 post 4 6 9 8 * * * 6 8 7 8 * 8 * 8 * 6 7 8 8 8 8 * 8 116 300 pre 0 3 0 0 * 0 * 0 6 * 4 9 0 6 9 8 7 * * 2 4 8 post 2 3 4 4 * 5 * 3 3 * 2 8 3 4 * 9 7 5 * * 4 5 5 117 300 pre 0 2 0 0 * 0 * 2 7 * 5 9 1 5 * 9 6 8 * * 4 4 * 9 post 3 3 4 4 * 4 * 4 4 * 3 4 4 4 * 9 5 7 * * 4 5 * 7 118 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 3 * 4 7 1 2 * 8 3 7 * * 1 2 * 9 post 0 2 4 4 * 3 * 2 3 * 3 4 3 3 * 9 4 5 * * 2 4 * 5 T H G H O G B Z A A E S G S C V L V S A A I S A R O O E R L E E L V C E A T H E A I I M B P I M Z R S L Y X A A O E H T L E E R o D B U o N A Ex. dose appl. A V H A S M V M M F C V A M A P P A S A T P A R No g/ha time W W I N A A A X Y A G I P E L E U R P R H u L E 119 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 0 * 1 0 0 0 * 0 0 2 * * 0 0 * 0 * post 0 2 0 2 * 1 * 1 1 0 1 2 2 * 3 1 5 * * 1 3 * 4 120 300 pre 1 3 2 0 * 0 * 2 8 * 6 9 6 9 * 8 8 8 * * 5 5 * 9 post 2 4 5 4 * 5 * 3 5 4 5 6 4 * 9 8 7 * * 5 4 * 5 121 300 pre 2 3 2 0 * 1 * 3 8 * 7 9 3 8 * 9 7 8 * * 5 4 * 9 post 3 4 8 4 * 5 * 5 5 * 6 7 6 5 * 9 7 8 * * 4 5 * 6 122 300 pre * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * post * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 123 300 pre 0 d 0 0 * 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * 2 2 4 * * 0 0 * 4 post 1 1 2 3 * 2 * 1 1 * 2 2 3 4 * 5 3 5 * * 2 6 * 4 + 124 300 pre 1 3 2 1 * 5 * 5 5 * 6 8 3 9 9 8 9 * * 7 9 * 9 post 4 4 6 5 * 5 * 5 5 * 6 7 4 5 * 9 6 8 * * 6 7 * 6 125 300 pre 3 4 3 2 * 3 * 5 8 * 7 9 4 9 * 9 9 9 * * 9 7 * 9 post 4 5 5 5 * 6 * 5 5 * 6 7 5 6 * 9 6 8 * * 5 7 * 6 * 126 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 3 0 9 1 7 ★ 8 4 8 * * 2 3 * 9 * post 2 2 5 4 * 3 * 3 3 * 3 3 4 4 * 9 5 8 * * 4 6 5 127 300 pre 0 0 1 0 * 0 * 2 2 * 0 8 0 7 * 7 3 8 * * 2 4 * 8 post 0 1 4 3 * 2 * 2 3 2 4 3 5 * 6 4 8 * * 4 6 * 6 128 300 pre 4 5 7 2 * 3 * 5 8 * 7 9 5 9 * 9 9 9 * 9 9 * 9 post 5 5 6 5 * 5 * 6 6 * 7 7 6 6 * 9 6 8 * * 6 8 * 7 129 300 pre 3 3 5 4 + 3 * 3 8 * 6 9 5 9 * 9 9 9 * * 9 9 * 9 post 2 4 7 5 * 5 * 3 5 * 5 6 5 5 9 6 8 * * 6 9 * 6 * 130 300 pre 2 5 3 2 * 3 * 3 7 * 6 9 4 9 9 6 9 * * 7 6 * 8 post 2 4 6 5 * 5 * 4 5 * 5 7 5 6 8 6 8 * 5 9 * 6 131 300 pre 0 0 2 2 * 0 * 2 1 * 0 8 0 4 * 7 0 8 * * 0 5 * 8 post 1 1 3 4 * 2 * 1 2 * 2 2 4 4 * 7 4 7 * * 4 5 * 4 T H G H O G B Z A A E s G S C V L V S A A I S A R O O E R L E E L V C E A T H E A I I M B P I M Z R S L Y X A A O E H T L E E R M O D B U O N A Ex. dose appl. A V H A S M V M M F C V A M A P P A S A T P A R No g/ha time W W I N A A A X Y A G I P E L E U R P R H U L E 132 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * * 0 3 0 0 * 0 * * 3 * 0 0 0 3 0 3 * 5 post 0 1 3 2 * 2 * 1 0 * 1 2 3 3 * 4 3 5 * * 2 5 * 5 133 400 pre 5 5 * * 5 7 * 4 8 * * 9 7 * * 9 9 * * * 9 9 * post 3 4 * * 5 6 * 4 8 * * 8 9 * * 8 8 * * * 9 9 * * 134 400 pre 3 4 * * 3 4 * 4 8 * * 9 3 * * 9 7 * * * 6 4 * * 9 9 * * post 2 3 * * 2 6 * * 3 4 * * 8 7 * 9 8 * * * 135 300 pre 6 7 * * 5 .4 ★ 3 8 * 8 9 3 8 * 9 8 * * 8 9 * * 6 * post 4 6 * * 4 3 7 * 6 7 6 7 8 9 9 * * * 7 9 * * * 136 300 pre 6 8 * * 5 4 * 4 8 * 8 8 1 9 * 9 8 * * 6 9 * * post 5 6 * * 5 6 * 4 6 * 7 7 6 8 6 9 7 * * * 8 8 * * 137 300 pre 0 0 * * 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 * * 0 0 * * post 0 1 * * 1 1 * 0 1 * 0 0 1 1 * 2 2 * * * 1 2 * * 138 300 pre 6 7 * * 4 4 * 3 8 * 8 9 4 9 * 9 9 * * * 7 9 * * post 4 7 * * 4 7 * 3 6 * 6 7 5 7 7 9 8 * * * 7 8 * * 0 * 139 300 pre 0 0 * * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 * * * 0 0 * * post 1 2 * * 1 2 * 0 1 1 1 1 1 4 3 2 * * * 2 4 * * 2 * 140 300 pre 4 5 5 * 3 2 8 * 8 8 4 9 * 9 9 9 * 8 4 6 * 8 post 3 4 5 * 5 5 * 3 7 * 4 8 7 6 * 9 8 6 * 6 8 9 * 9 141 300 pre 1 4 2 * 2 1 * 2 7 * 8 9 1 9 * 9 8 8 * 5 2 4 * 5 post 2 3 9 * 2 4 * 3 4 * 3 5 5 5 * 8 7 6 * 6 5 9 * 9 142 300 pre 0 0 1 * 0 1 * 0 0 * 1 5 1 4 * 5 1 7 * 0 0 1 * 0 post 0 1 5 * 0 4 * 2 0 * 1 1 2 3 * 5 4 6 * 5 3 5 * 5 * 143 300 pre 0 1 4 * 2 2 2 6 * 5 8 3 9 * 9 8 9 * 8 4 5 * 8 post 1 2 8 ★ 0 3 * 3 1 ★ 2 3 6 5 * 8 5 6 * 7 6 7 * 8 144 300 pre 0 0 0 * 0 2 * 0 0 * 0 3 0 * * 4 4 4 * 0 0 4 * 3 post 1 1 6 * 0 3 * 2 0 * 1 1 4 * * 6 3 5 * 5 3 4 * 6 T H G H O G B Z A A E S G S C V L V S A A I S A R O O E R L E E L V C E A T H E A I I M B P I M Z R S L Y X A A O E H T L E E R M O D B U O N A Ex. dose appl. A V H A S M V M M F C V A M A P P A S A T P A R No g/ha time W W I N A A A X Y A G I P E L E U R P R H U L E 145 300 pre 0 0 2 * 0 1 * 1 2 * 2 5 0 3 * 6 3 6 * 2 0 2 * 5 post 1 2 8 * 0 4 * 3 1 * 2 2 5 5 * 7 5 6 * 6 5 5 * 8 * * 146 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * 1 0 7 * 3 8 0 8 9 4 8 * 4 3 1 * 9 post 0 0 4 5 * 1 * 4 5 * 4 9 4 6 * 7 4 7 * 4 3 4 * 4 147 300 pre 0 1 0 0 * 1 * 0 5 3 7 0 6 * 9 3 7 * 3 3 3 * 9 post 0 0 4 5 * 4 * 1 4 * 3 5 4 5 * 6 4 5 * 4 4 5 * 4 148 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 1 * 0 2 0 0 * 8 0 8 * 0 1 0 * 9 post 0 0 3 4 * 2 * 2 1 * 1 3 4 3 * 4 3 6 * 3 2 4 * 4 149 300 pre 0 0 3 0 * 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * 2 1 5 * 0 0 0 * 8 post 0 0 0 4 * 2 * 2 0 * 0 2 4 3 * 5 4 4 * 4 1 4 4 * 150 300 pre 2 4 4 2 3 * 4 8 * 7 9 2 9 * 9 9 9 * 7 4 6 * 9 post 2 4 6 5 * 4 * 4 6 * 6 8 5 5 * 7 7 7 * 6 6 6 7 151 300 pre 0 0 0 2 * 0 * 0 4 * 0 0 0 6 * 8 2 9 * 4 1 1 * 9 post 0 1 4 5 * 3 * 3 2 * 2 4 4 5 * 6 4 7 * 4 2 4 * 6 152 300 pre 3 4 5 4 * 3 * 4 8 * 7 7 4 9 * 9 8 9 * 8 7 9 * 8 post 2 4 6 6 * 5 * 5 8 * 6 9 7 7 * 7 7 7 * 7 6 5 * 7 153 300 pre 1 3 3 0 * 1 * 3 8 * 7 7 1 9 * 9 8 9 * 4 5 5 * 9 post 4 4 5 6 * 4 * 4 6 * 5 8 5 6 * 8 5 6 * 4 5 5 * 5 154 300 pre 4 5 4 2 * 2 * 4 8 * 8 9 3 9 * 9 9 9 * 8 7 7 9 * * * * * * post 5 6 * * * 5 * 7 * * * * * * * * * * 155 300 pre 3 4 4 1 * 1 * 3 8 * 8 9 4 9 * 9 8 9 * 8 8 6 * 9 post 1 5 6 6 * 5 * 6 6 * 7 8 6 7 * 7 * 5 7 * 5 6 5 5 156 300 pre 2 2 0 0 * * ★ 0 6 * 4 9 0 8 * 9 4 9 * 4 4 3 * 9 post 0 1 4 5 * 4 * 4 5 * 4 9 5 7 * 7 4 6 * 4 4 4 * 5 157 300 pre 1 3 2 1 * 5 * 5 5 * 6 8 3 9 * 9 8 9 * 7 7 9 9 post 4 4 6 5 * 5 * 5 5 * 6 7 4 5 * 9 6 8 * 5 6 7 * 6 T H G H O G B Z A A E S G S C V L V S A A I S A R O O E R L E E L V C E A T H E A I I M B P I M Z R S L Y X A A O E H T L E E R M O D B U O N A Ex. dose appl. A V H A S M V M M F C V A M A P P A S A T P A R No g/ha time W W I N A A A X Y A G I P E L E U R P R H U L E 158 300 pre 3 4 3 2 * 3 * 5 8 * 7 9 4 9 * 9 9 9 * 7 9 7 * 9 post 4 5 5 5 * 6 * 5 5 * 6 7 5 6 * 9 6 8 * 5 5 7 * 6 159 300 pre 0 0 0 0 * 0 * 0 3 * 0 9 1 7 * 8 4 8 * 4 2 3 * 9 post 2 2 5 4 * 3 * 3 3 * 3 3 4 4 * 9 5 8 * 4 4 6 * 5 160 300 pre 0 0 1 0 * 0 * 2 2 * 0 8 0 7 * 7 3 8 * 2 2 4 * 2 post 0 1 4 3 * 2 * 2 3 * 2 4 3 5 * 6 4 2 * 5 4 6 * 6 161 300 pre 0 0 0 * 0 1 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * 1 0 0 * 0 0 0 * 0 2 * post 0 1 3 * 0 0 0 * 0 1 0 1 * 1 1 5 * 1 1 3 * 2 162 300 pre 0 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 * 0 0 0 * 0 post 0 0 3 * 0 2 * 0 0 * 0 0 1 1 * 1 5 5 * 0 0 2 * 0 163 300 pre 0 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 3 1 0 * 3 0 2 * 0 0 2 * 0 post 1 1 5 * 0 4 * 2 0 * 0 2 2 3 * 6 4 5 * 3 2 4 * 5 * 164 300 pre 0 0 0 * 2 0 * 0 0 * 0 5 0 6 4 1 7 * 1 0 1 * 3 post 0 1 6 * 0 4 * 3 1 * 1 1 2 4 * 6 5 6 * 3 3 5 * 8 165 300 pre 0 3 5 * 2 2 * 2 8 * 8 9 4 9 * 9 9 9 * 8 4 6 * 8 post 2 3 9 * 0 6 * 3 3 * 2 5 8 6 * 9 7 6 * 6 7 9 * 8 166 300 pre 0 1 4 * 2 1 * 1 5 * 7 5 2 5 8 7 8 * 6 2 4 * 8 post 1 2 5 * 2 7 * 2 3 * 3 4 6 5 * 8 5 7 * 4 6 5 ★ 8 * 167 300 pre 2 3 5 * 4 2 3 8 * 8 9 2 8 * 9 8 8 * 8 4 9 * 8 post, 2 3 6 * 5 6 * 3 6 * 6 8 5 7 * 8 6 6 * 4 6 5 * 8 168 300 pre 2 3 4 * 0 3 * 1 7 * 5 8 1 5 9 6 9 * 5 4 3 * 9 post 2 3 8 * 2 7 * 2 4 * 4 5 5 5 * 9 8 8 * 6 5 8 * 7 169 300 pre 3 3 5 * 5 2 * 3 8 * 6 9 1 9 * 9 8 9 * 5 4 6 * 9 post 3 3 9 * 5 6 * 3 5 * 5 6 5 4 * 8 7 7 * 5 6 6 * 7 170 300 pre 0 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 * 0 2 0 0 * 0 1 5 * 0 0 2 * 6 post 0 1 4 * 0 5 * 1 0 * 0 0 2 1 * 3 3 5 * 3 2 4 * 5 T H G H O G B Z A A E S G S C V L V S A A I S A R O O E R L E E L V C E A T H E A I I M B P I M Z R S L Y X A A O E H T L E E R M O D B U O N A EX. dose appl. A V H A S M V M M F C V A M A P P A S A T P A R No g/ha time W W I N A A A X Y A G I P E L E U R P R H U L E 171 300 pre 0 0 1 * 0 0 * 0 3 * 2 6 0 0 * 3 2 8 * 0 0 1 * 7 post 1 2 4 * 0 4 * 1 2 * 2 3 4 2 * 5 5 7 * 4 4 4 * 5 172 300 pre 0 0 0 * * 0 * 0 0 * 0 0 0 0 * 2 2 4 * 1 0 0 * 4 post 1 1 2 * * 2 * 1 1 * 2 2 3 4 * 5 3 5 * 2 2 6 * 4 173 300 pre 1 3 6 * 2 + 2 8 * 8 9 6 8 * 9 9 9 * 8 5 8 * 8 post 2 3 6 * * 7 * 3 6 * 6 7 6 7 * 9 6 7 * 6 6 8 * 8 174 300 pre 3 3 5 * 0 3 * 2 8 * 5 8 4 8 * 9 8 9 * 6 4 6 * 9 post 2 3 6 * 4 7 * 3 5 * 5 5 5 4 * 9 7 8 * 6 5 8 * 7 175 300 pre 0 0 2 * 0 1 * 0 4 * 1 7 0 2 * 7 4 8 * 1 0 0 * 8 post 1 1 6 * 1 7 * 1 5 * 5 5 5 4 * 9 7 8 * 6 5 8 * 7 176 400 pre 3 2 * * 2 3 * 2 7 * * 8 3 * * 9 8 * * 2 8 * * post 3 4 * * 2 2 * 2 4 * * 6 8 * * 8 7 * * * 8 9 * * 177 400 pre 7 5 * * 5 4 * 4 8 * * 9 5 * * 9 * * * * 6 9 * * * * post 3 5 * * 4 6 * 4 6 * * 7 7 * * 9 * * 7 6 * * 178 400 pre 2 2 * * 2 1 * 1 6 * * 8 4 * * 8 * * * * 2 3 * * post 1 3 * * 4 4 * 3 3 * * 4 5 * * 9 * * * * 5 4 * * 188 400 pre 4 5 * * 6 4 * 5 9 * * 9 8 * * 9 9 * * * 9 9 * * post 3 4 * * 3 5 * 3 7 * * 8 9 * * 9 8 * * * 8 9 * * 190 400 pre 5 6 * * 5 5 * 5 9 + * 9 9 * * 9 9 * * * 9 9 * * post 4 5 * 4 7 * 3 8 * * 9 9 * * 9 8 * * * 9 9 * * 5 * 191 400 pre 4 4 * * 5 4 9 * * 9 8 * * 9 9 * * * 9 9 * * post 4 4 * 4 7 * 3 8 * * 8 9 * * 9 8 * * * 9 9 * * 192 400 pre 4 4 * * 3 5 * 4 8 * * 9 7 * * 9 8 * * 9 9 * * post 3 4 * * 3 6 * 2 7 * * 8 9 * * 9 8 * * * 9 9 * * 193 400 pre 4 5 * * 3 4 * 4 8 * * 9 7 * * 9 8 * * * 8 9 * * * post 4 4 * 4 5 * 3 8 * 9 8 * * 8 7 * * * 8 9 * * Table XVI Efficacy of the compounds of the invention in pre-emergence application Table XVII Efficacy of the compounds of the invention in post-emergence application

Claims (2)

What is claimed is:

1. A compound of the general formula (I) (I) wherein A represents an optionally substituted aryl group or an optionally substituted 5- or 6 membered nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic group or a difluorobenzodioxolyl group; m represents an integer from 0 to 5; n represents an integer from 0 to 2; R1 (or each R1) independently represents a hydrogen atom, an halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl. alkoxy, alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxyamino or formamidino group; R2 (or each R2) independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkinyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylsulphinyl , alkylsulphonyl group or a nitro, cyano or SF5 group, X represents an oxygen or sulphur atom; and Z represents a nitrogen atom or a CH group; with the provisos that (a) A represents a pyridyl group being substituted by at least one haioalkyl, haloalkoxy or hatoatkylthio group.in the event that Z represents N; or (b) m and n are 1 , R1 denotes an alkyi, alkoxy or alkylamino group attached in the 4-position and R2 represents a trif!uoromethyl, in the event that Z represent CH.

2. A compound as claimed in Claim 1 wherein A represents a phenyl, pyndyl or pyrazolyl group being substituted by one or more of the same or different substituer.ts seiectec from halogen atoms, alkyl groups, alkoxy groups, haioalkyl crouos. haicalkoxy grcups. haloalkylthio groups and SF5 groups. A compound of formula I A ( I A ) wherein A represents a 2-trifluoromethylpyrid-4-yl or 2-difiuoromethoxypyrid-4-yl group, R1 has the meaning given above; R , R2' and R2" independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine, chlorine or bromine atom, one or two of them also a trifluoromethyl, trifluormethoxy or a cyano group, R2" can further be a C,-C4-alkyl group, particularly tert-butyl. A compound of formula I B ( I B ) wherein X represents haloalkyl, haloalkoxy or haloalkylthio, and R denotes a halogen atom or an alkyl or alkoxy group. A compound of formula IB selected from the group consisting of 6-methyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-(2"-difluoromethoxy-pyrid-4"-yloxy)pyrimidine 6-ethyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-(2"-trifluoromethyl-pyrid-4"-yloxy)pyrimidine 6-ethyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenylH^2 2,2,2-^ 6^thyl-2-(4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)^(2"