Use as herbicides

Phosphonic acid is an intermediate in the production of alkylphosphonates that are used as herbicides and as water treatment chemicals for sequestration, scale inhibition, deflocculation, and ion-control agents in oil weUs, cooling tower waters, and boiler feed waters. For example, aqueous phosphonic acid reacts with formaldehyde and ammonium chloride in the presence of hydrochloric acid to yield aminotri(methylenephosphonic acid) [6419-19-8]. 

Esters of / fZ-amyl alcohol can be obtained by acylation of 2-methyl-2-butene in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (44). The esters produced, in high yields, from reaction of amyl alcohols with carboxyHc anhydrides, are used as intermediates for preparation of pyryflum salts (45,46) and alkaloids (47). Tria2oles prepared by acylation of 3-methyl-1-butanol are useful as herbicides (48). 

Reaction of / fZ-amyl alcohol with urea in the presence of sulfuric acid gives a monoalkylated urea (61,62). Monoalkyl ureas are used to prepare uracil derivatives which are useful as herbicides, fungicides, and plant growth regulators (61). 

Monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) [2163-80-6] CH AsONaOOH, disodium methanearsonate (DSMA) [144-21-8], CH2AsO(NaO)2, cacodyhc acid [75-60-5], (CH2)2AsOOH, and arsenic acid [7778-39-4], H AsO, are used ia agriculture appHcations (11,12). MSMA, DMSA, and cacodyUc acid are used as herbicides (qv) especially ia cotton (qv) fields for the control of Johnson and nutsedge grass and other weeds. Arsenic acid (13) and cacodyhc acid may be used as a desiccant for the defoHation of the cotton boU prior to harvesting. Calcium arsenate [7778-44-1], Ca2(As0 2> once an important chemical for the control of the boU weevil and cotton worm, has disappeared from appHcation and the use of lead arsenate [7784-40-9], Pb AsO, for fmit crops is currentiy restricted. 

Concerning anthropogenic sources, methyl arsenic compounds such as methyl arsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid have been used as herbicides, and were once a significant source of environmental residues. Dimethyl-arsinic acid (Agent Blue) was used as a defoliant during the Vietnam War. 

Phenoxyalkanoates. There has been considerable interest in the persistence of chlorinated phenoxyalkanoates—and particularly of phenoxyacetates and phenoxypropionates, which have been used as herbicides. This has therefore stimulated studies on the degradation of these aryl-alkyl ethers. Considerable effort has been directed to elucidating the subsequent... 

A number of substituted triazines are used as herbicides, and their biodegradation has been discussed in Chapter 10, Part 1. Treatment of soil contaminated with atrazine (2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-isopropylamino-l,3,5-triazine) illustrated a number of significant features. Although the soil that was used had the potential for degradation, a laboratory experiment with Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP that had an established potential for atrazine degradation revealed important limitations. There was a substantial decline in the numbers of Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP and only limited mineralization. Supplementation with citrate or succinate increased the survival of the strain, and successful mineralization was dependent on the preservation of a carbon/nitrogen ratio >10 (Silva et al. 2004). The last would apply generally to substrates with a low C/N ratio such as triazines. 

Phenoxyacids (PA) have been widely used as herbicides in agriculture, forestry, and, to a lesser extent, garden activities. The principal products are represented by 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) 2,4,5-T (2,4,5-trichlo-rophenoxyacetic acid) and MCPA (4-chloro, 2-methylphenoxyacetic acid) (Stevens and Sumner, 1991). 2,4,5-T has been banned in many countries for a long time because of contamination of the commercial formulations of 2,4,5-T by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin. At present, dioxin contamination of these formulations has been reduced to very low concentrations. 

Gaertner, V.R., Oxazaolidinone Phosphonates and Their Use as Herbicides, European Patent 0,007,684, 1983. 

Many pesticides are moderate to weak acids. Strong acid pollutants are fully ionised at ambient pH. Examples include trifluoroacetic and chloroacetic acids, whose use as herbicides has been banned but which still occur as solvent degradation products [16], or the pesticide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (P 2.83). 

The beneficial effect of surfactants on enantioselective hydrogenations in water was exploited in the synthesis of a-aminophosphinic and a-aminophosphonic acids. These compounds are stmctural analogues of a-aminocarboxylic acids and their peptides find use as herbicides, bactericides and antibiotics [150,151]. With [Rh(BPPM)(COD)]Bp4 and similar catalysts fast ractions and e.e.-s up to 98% could be obtained in water in the presence of SDS (Scheme 3.12). 

How quickly and to what extent an organism is able to reduce the concentration of an active chemical at the site of action is a major determinant of toxicity. Thus, differences in the capability of receivers to detoxify an active chemical is of major importance for selective action of allelochemlcals. Selective toxicity will also be Important if allelochemlcals are to be put to practical use. For example, if allelochemlcals are to be used as herbicides, the compounds will have to be toxic to some plants (weeds) but not toxic to others (the crop). Such selective toxicity could be accomplished if the crop, but not the weeds, had the ability to convert an administered allelochemical to nontoxic products. 

Unsaturated 5(477)-oxazolones have been studied as ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing layers," " as fungicides," " and as antibacterial agents." " " For example, 4-(3-phenoxybenzylidene)-2-substituted-5(4r/)-oxazolones 358 have been prepared and used as herbicides and fungicides." " ... 

Several ribofuranosyl triazolopyridines have been screened against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 28 was found to be more effective in a HCV subgenomic replicon cell-based assay than the known lead compound <2005JME6454>. Several triazolopyridines have also been used as herbicides and microbiocides <2002AHC(83)2>. 

The next group of compounds that we want to look at are derivatives of carbamic acid (HO-CO-NH2), that is, the carbamates. Carbamates are widely used as herbicides and insecticides. The carbamate function exhibits both an ester and an amide-type functionality (Montgomery, 1997) ... 

Compounds 272 are useful as herbicides and inhibitors of nitrification of amino nitrogen in soil, and they are used for the control of Echinochioa crusgalli without damage to rice. 5-Fluoromethyl-7-methoxy-l,2,4-triazolo-[l,5-a]pyrimidine-2-sulfonamides are useful for the control of pigweed (85USP4818273). 

A number of 1,2,4-triazines are of interest owing to their biological activity. 1,2,4-Triazine-3,5-diones (6) represent aza analogues of pyrimidine nucleic acid bases, a number of natural antibiotics are derivatives of pyrimido[5,4-e][l,2,4]triazine (7), and 4-amino-6-r-butyl-3-methylthio-l,2,4-triazin-5-one (8) and 4-amino-3-methyl-6-phenyl-l,2,4-triazin-5-one (9) are used as herbicides. 

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