N-arylindoles and their use as herbicides

A herbicidal composition comprising

• (a) an herbicidally effective amount of a substituted N-arylindole of the formula ##STR31## in which:
• R is hydrogen;
• halogen;
• nitro;
• cyano;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• (C.sub.2 -C.sub.6)alkenyloxy;
• (C.sub.2 -C.sub.6)alkynyloxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• carbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyloxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• cyano(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• benzyloxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylcarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• hydroxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• formyl;
• azido;
• carboxy or a salt thereof;
• amino;
• substituted amino having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, hydroxy, formyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylcarbonyl, substituted (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylcarbonyl substituted with carboxy or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarboxy, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, aminocarbonyl, (di) (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylaminocarbonyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, hydroxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 )alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, amino and (di) (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl amino;
• carboxyamido;
• substituted carboxyamido having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, and halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl;
• sulfonamido wherein the N is substituted with hydrogen and/or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• YR.sup.4 wherein Y is O or S(O).sub.m and R.sup.4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, cyano(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, hydroxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl and aminocarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl wherein the N is substituted with hydrogen and/or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• n is 0 to 4 and
• m is 0 to 2;
• R.sup.1 is hydrogen, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, halogen, cyano, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, or carboxy or a salt or ester thereof;
• q is 0 to 2;
• X is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylthio, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfinyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• k is 0 to 2;
• R.sup.3 is halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, cyano, halogen, or SO.sub.y R.sup.5 wherein R.sup.5 is (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl or halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl and y is 0, 1 or 2;
• or an agriculturally acceptable salt thereof;
• and
• (b) one or more diluents.

A method of controlling undesirable vegetation in the presence of a crop comprising applying to the locus where control of such vegetation is desired, either prior to or subsequent to the emergence of such vegetation, an herbicidally effective amount of a compound of the formula ##STR32## in which:

• R is hydrogen;
• halogen;
• nitro;
• cyano;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• (C.sub.2 -C.sub.6)alkenyloxy;
• (C.sub.2 -C.sub.6)alkynyloxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• carbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyloxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• cyano(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• benzyloxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6) alkylcarbonyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• halo (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• hydroxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• formyl;
• azido;
• carboxy or a salt thereof;
• amino;
• substituted amino having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, hydroxy, formyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylcarbonyl, substituted (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylcarbonyl substituted with carboxy or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarboxy, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, aminocarbonyl, (di) (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylaminocarbonyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, hydroxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, amino and (di) (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylamino;
• carboxyamido;
• substituted carboxyamido having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, and halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl;
• sulfonamido wherein the N is substituted with hydrogen and/or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• YR.sup.4 wherein Y is O or S(O).sub.m and R.sup.4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, halo(C.sub. 1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, cyano(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, hydroxycarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl and aminocarbonyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• wherein the N is substituted with hydrogen and/or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl;
• n is 0 to 4 and
• m is 0 to 2;
• R.sup.1 is hydrogen, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, halogen, cyano, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, or carboxy or a salt thereof;
• q is 0 to 2;
• X is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylthio, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfinyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkylsulfonyl, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy;
• k is 0 to 2;
• R.sup.3 is hydrogen, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, cyano, halogen, or SO.sub.y R.sup.5 wherein R.sup.5 is (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl or halo(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl and y is 0, 1 or 2;
• or an agriculturally acceptable salt thereof.