1-carbalkoxyalkyl-3-aryloxy-4-(substituted-2'-carboxyphenyl)-azet-2-ones as plant growth regulators and herbicides

Abstract

Compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is lower alkyl or benzyl; R.sup.2 is lower alkoxy, benzyloxy or the group ##STR2## where R.sup.3 is lower alkoxy; Ar is phenyl or phenyl substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, trihalomethyl, nitro, phenyl, lower alkoxy and lower alkyl; and X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are independently hydrogen, halogen, lower alkoxy, or lower alkyl, or X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 taken together form an aromatic ring fused with the phenyl ring, provided that both X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are not hydrogen show activity as plant growth regulators.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.