Carboxylic acid derivatives, their preparation and use

A compound of the formula I ##STR16## where R is formyl, tetrazole, nitrile, a COOH group or a radical which can be hydrolyzed to COOH, and the other substituents have the following meanings:

• R.sup.2 hydrogen, hydroxyl, NH.sub.2, NH(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl), N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl).sub.2, halogen, 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;
• X nitrogen [or CR.sup.14 which forms together with CR.sup.3 a 5- or 6-membered alkylene or alkenylene ring which can be substituted by one or two C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl groups and in which in each case a methylene group can be replaced by oxygen, sulfur, NH or N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl)];
• R.sup.3 hydrogen, hydroxyl, NH.sub.2, NH(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl), N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl).sub.2, halogen, 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, NH--O--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio or CR.sup.3 is linked to CR.sup.14 as indicated above to give a 5- or 6-membered ring;
• R.sup.4 and R.sup.5, which can be identical or different, are phenyl or naphthyl, which can be substituted by one or more of the following radicals:
• halogen, nitro, cyano, hydroxyl, 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, phenoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio, amino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylamino or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -dialkylamino;
• or phenyl or naphthyl, which are connected together in the ortho position via a direct linkage, a methylene, ethylene or ethenylene group, an oxygen or sulfur atom or an S.sub.2, NH or N-alkyl group;
• or
• C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 -cycloalkyl;
• R.sup.6 hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -cycloalkyl, where each of these radicals can be substituted one or more times by:
• halogen, nitro, cyano, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkenyloxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 -alkynyloxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -haloalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylcarbonyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxycarbonyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -alkylcarbonylalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylamino, di-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylamino, phenyl or phenoxy which is substituted one or more times by halogen, nitro, cyano, 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;
• phenyl or naphthyl, each of which can be substituted by one or more of the following radicals:
• halogen, nitro, cyano, hydroxyl, amino, 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, phenoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylamino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -dialkylamino or dioxomethylene or dioxoethylene;
• a five or six-membered heteroaromatic moiety containing one to three nitrogen atoms and/or one sulfur or oxygen atom, which can carry one to four halogen atoms and/or one or two of the following radicals:
• 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, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio, phenyl, phenoxy or phenylcarbonyl, it being possible for the phenyl radicals in turn to carry one to five halogen atoms and/or one to three of the following radicals:
• 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 and/or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio;
• Y sulfur or oxygen or a single bond;
• Z sulfur, oxygen, --SO-- or --SO.sub.2 --.