3-cyclopropyl-4-(3-thiobenzoyl) pyrazoles and their use as herbicides

1. A 3-cyclopropyl-4-(3-thiobenzoyl)pyrazole of formula (I) or a salt thereof

in which

R 1 is (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl,

R 2 is halogen or (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl,

R 3 is (C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkynyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-haloalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-halocycloalkyl-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-haloalkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-haloalkynyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-nitroalkyl, phenyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkoxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-cycloalkyl-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkoxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkoxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyloxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkynyloxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-haloalkoxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )-halocycloalkyl-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkoxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-haloalkenyloxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-haloalkynyloxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-nitroalkoxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, phenyloxy-(C 1 -C 9 )-alkyl, where the phenyl group may in each case be substituted by m identical or different radicals selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl, halogen, nitro, and (C 1 -C 3 )-alkoxy,

R 4 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkylsulfonyl, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy-(C 1 -C 6 )-alkylsulfonyl, or is phenylsulfonyl, thien-2-ylsulfonyl, (ethylthio)carbonyl, benzoyl, benzoyl-(C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl or benzyl, each of which is substituted by m identical or different radicals selected from the group consisting of halogen, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl and (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy,

X and Y independently of one another are hydrogen, mercapto, nitro, halogen, cyano, thiocyanato, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-haloalkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkynyl, (C 3 -C 6 )-haloalkynyl, (C 3 -C 6 )-cycloalkyl, OR 5 , methylsulfonylethoxymethyl, methylsulfonylethylsulfonylmethyl, methoxyethylsulfonylmethyl, OCOR 5 , OSO 2 R 5 , S(O) n R 5 , SO 2 OR 5 , SO 2 N(R 5 ) 2 , (C 1 -C 3 )-alkoxy-(C 1 -C 3 )-alkoxy-(C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl, NR 5 SO 2 R 5 , NR 5 COR 5 , (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-S(O) n R 5 , (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-OR 5 , (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-OCOR 5 , (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-OSO 2 R 5 , (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-SO 2 OR 5 , (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-SO 2 N(R 5 ) 2 or (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl-NR 5 COR 5 ;

R 5 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkynyl, (C 3 -C 6 )-cycloalkyl, phenyl or phenyl-(C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, wherein, if R5 is (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkynyl, (C 3 -C 6 )-cycloalkyl, phenyl or phenyl-(C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, R5 can be substituted by s radicals selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, cyano, nitro, thiocyanato, OR 6 , SR 6 , N(R 6 ) 2 , NOR 6 , OCOR 6 , SCOR 6 , NR 6 COR 6 , CO 2 R 6 , COSR 6 , CON(R 6 ) 2 , (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyliminooxy, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxyamino, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkylcarbonyl, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy-(C 2 -C 6 )-alkoxycarbonyl and (C 1 -C 4 )-alkylsulfonyl;

R 6 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyl or (C 2 -C 6 )-alkynyl,

m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5,

n is 0, 1 or 2,

q is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5,

s is 0, 1, 2 or 3,

with the proviso that R 3 is not (C 1 -C 6 )-haloalkyl if n is 0.

2. The 3-cyclopropyl-4-(3-thiobenzoyl)pyrazole as claimed in claim 1 wherein

R 1 is (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl,

R 2 is halogen, methyl or ethyl,

R 3 is cyclopropyl, cyclopropylmethyl, cyclopropylmethoxyethyl, methoxyethyl, methoxypropyl, or ethoxyethyl,

R 4 is hydrogen, n-propylsulfonyl, phenylsulfonyl, methoxyethylsulfonyl, benzoylmethyl, benzoyl, 4-methylbenzoylmethyl, (ethylthio)carbonyl, 4-methylphenylsulfonyl, or thien-2-ylsulfonyl,

X is nitro, halogen, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl, trifluoromethyl, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy, methylsulfonyl, methoxymethyl, methoxymethoxymethyl, ethoxyethoxymethyl, ethoxymethoxymethyl, methoxyethoxymethyl, methoxypropoxymethyl, methylsulfonylmethyl, methylsulfonylethoxymethyl, methoxyethylsulfonylmethyl, or methylsulfonylethylsulfonylmethyl,

Y is halogen, trifluoromethyl, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy, methylsulfonyl or ethylsulfonyl,

n is 0, 1 or 2,

q is 0, 1 or 2.

3. The 3-cyclopropyl-4-(3-thiobenzoyl)pyrazole as claimed in claim 1 wherein

R 1 is methyl or ethyl,

R 3 is cyclopropyl, cyclopropylmethyl, cyclopropylmethoxyethyl, methoxyethyl, methoxypropyl, or ethoxyethyl,

R 4 is hydrogen, n-propylsulfonyl, phenylsulfonyl, methoxyethylsulfonyl, benzoylmethyl, benzoyl, 4-methylbenzoylmethyl, (ethylthio)carbonyl, 4-methylphenylsulfonyl, or thien-2-ylsulfonyl,

X is nitro, bromine, chlorine, fluorine, methyl, ethyl, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, methylsulfonyl, methoxymethyl, methoxymethoxymethyl, ethoxyethoxymethyl, ethoxymethoxymethyl, methoxyethoxymethyl, methoxypropoxymethyl, methylsulfonylmethyl, methylsulfonylethoxymethyl, methoxyethylsulfonylmethyl, or methylsulfonylethylsulfonylmethyl,

Y is bromine, chlorine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, methylsulfonyl or ethylsulfonyl,

n is 0, 1 or 2,

q is 0.

4. A herbicidal composition which comprises a herbicidally effective amount of at least one 3-cyclopropyl-4-(3-thiobenzoyl)pyrazole of formula (I) or a salt thereof as claimed in claim 1 .

5. The herbicidal composition as claimed in claim 4 as a mixture with formulation auxiliaries.

6. A method for controlling unwanted plants which comprises applying an effective amount of at least one compound of formula (I) as claimed in claim 1 to a plant or to a site of unwanted plant growth.

7. A herbicidal composition as claimed in claim 4 which is capable of controlling unwanted plants.

8. The composition as claimed in claim 7 a compound of formula (I) is capable of controlling unwanted plants in crops of useful plants.

9. The composition as claimed in claim 8 wherein the useful plants are transgenic useful plants.