Phenylacetic acid derivatives, preparation thereof and intermediates therefor, and compositions containing them

A phenylacetic acid compound of the formula I

• where the substituents and the index have the following meanings:
• X is oxygen or sulfur;
• R is hydrogen and or C1-C4-alkyl;
• R1 is hydrogen and C1-C4-alkyl;
• R2 is cyano, nitro, trifluoromethyl, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl and or C1-C4-alkoxy;
• m is 0, 1 or 2, it being possible for the R2 radicals to be different if m is 2;
• R3 is hydrogen, cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, amino, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylthio, C1-C4-alkylamino or di-C1-C4-alkylamino;
• R4 is C1-C6-alkyl, which is partly or completely halogenated or carries one to three of the following radicals:
• cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, aminocarbonyl, aminothiocarbonyl, halogen, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfoxyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-haloalkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, di-C1-C6-alkylamino, C2-C6-alkenyloxy, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C3-C6-cycloalkoxy, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, aryl-C1-C4-alkoxy, arylthio, aryl-C1-C4-alkylthio, hetaryl, hetaryloxy, hetaryl-C1-C4-alkoxy, hetarylthio, hetaryl-C1-C4-alkylthio, it being possible for the cyclic radicals in turn to be partly or completely halogenated and/or to carry one to three of the following groups:
• cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, aminocarbonyl, aminothiocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfoxyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-haloalkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, di-C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkenyloxy, benzyl, benzyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, arylthio, hetaryl, hetaryloxy, hetarylthio and C(═NOR6)—An—R7;
• or C3-C6-cycloalkyl, which is partly or completely halogenated or carries one to three of the following groups:
• cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, aminocarbonyl, aminothiocarbonyl, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfoxyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-haloalkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, di-C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkenyloxy, benzyl, benzyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, hetaryl and hetaryloxy;
• R5 is hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C2-C10-alkenyl, C2-C10-alkynyl, C1-C10-alkylcarbonyl, C2-C10-alkenylcarbonyl, C3-C10-alkynylcarbonyl or C1-C10-alkylsulfonyl, it being possible for these radicals to be partly or completely halogenated or to carry one to three of the following groups:
• cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, aminocarbonyl, aminothiocarbonyl, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfoxyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-haloalkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, di-C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkenyloxy, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C3-C6-cycloalkoxy, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyloxy, benzyl, benzyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, arylthio, hetaryl, hetaryloxy and hetarylthio, it being possible for the cyclic groups in turn to be partly or completely halogenated or to carry one to three of the following groups:
• cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, aminocarbonyl, aminothiocarbonyl, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfoxyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-haloalkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, di-C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkenyloxy, benzyl, benzyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, arylthio, hetaryl, hetaryloxy, hetarylthio or C(═NOR6)—An—R7;
• aryl, arylcarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, hetaryl, hetarylcarbonyl or hetarylsulfonyl, it being possible for these radicals to be partly or completely halogenated or to carry one to three of the following groups:
• cyano, nitro, hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, carboxyl, aminocarbonyl, aminothiocarbonyl, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6-alkylsulfoxyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-haloalkoxy, C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylthio, C1-C6-alkylamino, di-C1-C6-alkylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, di-C1-C6-alkylaminothiocarbonyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkenyloxy, benzyl, benzyloxy, aryl, aryloxy, hetaryl, hetaryloxy or C(═NOR6)—An—R7;
• A is oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen and where the nitrogen carries hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl;
• n is 0 or 1;
• R6 is hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl and
• R7 is hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl,
• or a salt thereof.