Intermediates for the preparation of phenylsulfonylurea herbicides and plant growth regulators

A compound of the formula (II) ##STR31## wherein R.sup.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the 3 latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, CONH.sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio, CN, CHO, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl)carbonyl, (C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl)carbonyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylsulfonyl, carboxyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy)carbonyl, (C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkenyloxy)carbonyl, (C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkynyloxy)carbonyl, NO.sub.2, NH.sub.2, mono- and di-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)-alkylamino,

• R.sup.2 is CO--R.sup.5, COO--R.sup.6, CO--SR.sup.7, CO--NR.sup.8 R.sup.9, CS--NR.sup.10 R.sup.11, CS--OR.sup.12, CS--SR.sup.13, SO.sub.2 R.sup.14, SO.sub.2 NR.sup.15 R.sup.16,
• R.sup.3 is COR.sup.17, CO--OR.sup.18, CO--NR.sup.19 R.sup.20, CO--SR.sup.21, COO--N.dbd.CR.sup.22 R.sup.23, CSR.sup.24, CSSR.sup.25, CS--OR.sup.26, CS--NR.sup.27 R.sup.28, C(.dbd.NR.sup.29)R.sup.30,
• R.sup.5 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the three latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group, consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio and NR.sup.31 R.sup.32, or unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, unsubstituted or substituted phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted heteroaryl or phenyl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted on the phenyl ring,
• R.sup.6 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the three latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio and NR.sup.31 R.sup.32, or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl and C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkyl,
• R.sup.7 is as defined in R.sup.6
• R.sup.8 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the 3 latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)-alkoxy)carbonyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy,
• R.sup.9 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the 3 latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio and NR.sup.31 R.sup.32, or CO--R.sup.33, CO--OR.sup.34, CO--NR.sup.35 R.sup.36, CS--NR.sup.35 R.sup.36, CS--R.sup.33 or CS--OR.sup.34, or
• R.sup.8, R.sup.9 taken together are a divalent radical of the formula --(CH.sub.2).sub.4 --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.5 --, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --O--CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, the 4 latter radicals being unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl,
• R.sup.10 is as defined in R.sup.8,
• R.sup.11 is as defined in R.sup.9,
• R.sup.12 is as defined in R.sup.6,
• R.sup.13 is as defined in R.sup.6,
• R.sup.14 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the three latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio and NR.sup.31 R.sup.32,
• R.sup.15 is as defined in R.sup.8,
• R.sup.16 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the 3 latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more halogen radicals,
• R.sup.17 is as defined in R.sup.5,
• R.sup.18 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the three latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio and NR.sup.31 R.sup.32, or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl and C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl-C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkyl or H,
• R.sup.19 is as defined in R.sup.8,
• R.sup.20 is as defined in R.sup.9,
• R.sup.21 is as defined in R.sup.18,
• R.sup.22 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 -alkenyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 -alkynyl,
• R.sup.23 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 -alkenyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 -alkynyl,
• R.sup.24 is as defined in R.sup.17,
• R.sup.25 is as defined in R.sup.18,
• R.sup.26 is as defined in R.sup.18,
• R.sup.27 is as defined in R.sup.8,
• R.sup.28 is as defined in R.sup.9,
• R.sup.29 is H, OH, NH.sub.2, NHR.sup.37, N(R.sup.37).sub.2, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkynyl, the 4 latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkoxy and C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkylthio,
• R.sup.30 is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkoxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the four latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkoxy and C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkylthio,
• each R.sup.31 independently of the others is H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl)carbonyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy)carbonyl or CHO,
• each R.sup.32 independently of the others is H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl,
• R.sup.33 is as defined in R.sup.5,
• R.sup.34 is as defined in R.sup.6,
• R.sup.35, R.sup.36 independently of one another are H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl, the 3 latter radicals independently of one another being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more halogen radicals,
• R.sup.37 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkynyl, the three radicals mentioned, independently of one another, being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy and C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio.