Salicylic acid derivatives as selective herbicides

A salicylic acid derivative or a sulfur analog thereof of the formula I ##STR18## where R is halogen,

• n is 1, 2 or 3 or, in the case of halogen as substituents, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5;
• R.sup.1 is a radical ##STR19## where m is 0 or 1 and R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 have the following meanings:
• hydrogen;
• C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, where these radicals may each carry from one to five halogen atoms or one or two of the following groups:
• C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenyloxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynyloxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkylthio, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenylthio, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -haloalkoxy, cyano, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkylcarbonyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenylcarbonyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynylcarbonyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkoxycarbonyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenyloxycarbonyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynyloxycarbonyl, bis-C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -dialkylamino, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl or unsubstituted or substituted phenyl;
• unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl;
• unsubstituted or substituted phenyl;
• or
• R.sup.6 together with R.sup.7 forms a morpholino, piperidino or 2,6-dimethylmorpholino group;
• or
• R.sup.1 is a group ##STR20## where R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 are each hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl and l is 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• or
• R.sup.1 is a group
• --(CH.sub.2).sub.l --S(.dbd.O).sub.k --R.sup.10
• where R.sup.10 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, l is 1, 2, 3 or 4 and k is o, 1 or 2;
• or
• R.sup.1 is a radical
• --HN--SO.sub.2 --R.sup.11
• where R.sup.11 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl or phenyl which in turn may carry from one to four of the following substituents:
• halogen, nitro, cyano or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl;
• or
• R.sup.1 is a radical OR.sup.5, where R.sup.5 is an unsubstituted or substituted 5-membered aromatic heterocyclic structure selected from the group consisting of 1-pyrazolyl, 3-methyl-1-pyrazolyl, 4-methyl-1-pyrazolyl, 3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl, 3-phenyl-1-pyrazolyl, 4-phenyl-1-pyrazolyl, 4-chloro-1-pyrazolyl, 4-bromo-1-pyrazolyl, 4-iodo-1-pyrazolyl, 1-imidazolyl, 1-benzimidazolyl, 1,2,4-triazol-1-yl, 3-methyl-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl, 5-methyl-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl or 1-benzotriazolyl;
• or
• R.sup.1 is a radical ##STR21## where R.sup.10 and l have the abovementioned meanings, the expression unsubstituted or substituted in the above definitions meaning that the group designated in this manner can be either unsubstituted or carry one or more of the following substituents:
• halogen, nitro, cyano, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkylthio;
• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio;
• R.sup.4 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, cyano or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkyl;
• X is oxygen or sulfur, and
• Z is the methine group.