Abstract: Regulation of the growth of plant life, including herbicidal, defoliant or desiccant effects, may be accomplished with certain 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dithiin 1,1,4,4-tetroxides of the formula ##STR1## wherein the R's have various values such as hydrogen, alkyl, etc. Certain of the compounds, such as 2,3-dihydro-5,6-dimethyl-1,4-dithiin 1,1,4,4-tetroxide, are new chemicals, and are useful as pre- and post-emergent herbicides, and in harvest aid procedures, such as defoliation/desiccation of various crops, including cotton and potatoes.

Abstract: Substituted 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins of the formula ##STR1## display useful plant growth regulant effects including herbicidal effects. Examples are 2,3-dihydro-5,6-diphenyl-1,4-oxathiin, and 2,3-dihydro-5-(4-methylphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,4-oxathiin 4-oxide. The compounds are useful for the selective control of grasses and as dwarfing agents, as well as for inhibition of vegetative and reproductive axillary growth, and for increasing the sugar content of sugar producing species. A number of these are new compounds.

Abstract: Plant growth regulant effects, such as dwarfing, cessation of terminal growth, increased flower set, increased fruit and pod set, fruiting body abortion, twisting and epinastic responses, etc., may be accomplished on crops such as soybeans, cotton, etc., by application of certain 2-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl) or 2-(2-oxazolyl) or 2-(1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acids, salts and esters, having the formula ##STR1## where X is nitrogen or C-R" (R" being hydrogen or methyl), Z is oxygen or sulfur when X is nitrogen, Z is oxygen when X is C-R", R is phenyl or various substituents, and R' is hydrogen or various substituents. An example is 2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl) benzoic acid. The compounds where X is nitrogen and Z is sulfur are new compounds, e.g., 2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acid.

Abstract: Substituted 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins of the formula ##STR1## display useful plant growth regulant effects including herbicidal effects. Examples are 2,3-dihydro-5,6-diphenyl-1,4-oxathiin, and 2,3-dihydro-5-(4-methylphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,4-oxathiin 4-oxide. The compounds are useful for the selective control of grasses and as dwarfing agents, as well as for inhibition of vegetative and reproductive axillary growth, and for increasing the sugar content of sugar producing species. A number of these are new compounds.

Abstract: Plant growth regulant effects, such as dwarfing, cessation of terminal growth, increased flower set, increased fruit and pod set, fruiting body abortion, twisting and epinastic responses, etc., may be accomplished on crops such as soybeans, cotton, etc., by application of certain 2-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl) or 2-(2-oxazolyl) or 2-(1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acids, salts and esters, having the formula ##STR1## where X is nitrogen or C--R" (R" being hydrogen or methyl), Z is oxygen or sulfur when X is nitrogen, Z is oxygen and when X is C--R", R is phenyl or various substituents, and R' is hydrogen or various substituents. An example is 2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acid. The compounds where X is nitrogen and Z is sulfur are new compounds, e.g., 2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acid.

Abstract: Regulation of the growth of plant life, including herbicidal, defoliant or desiccant effects, may be accomplished with certain 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dithiin 1,1,4,4-tetroxides of the formula ##STR1## wherein the R's have various values such as hydrogen, alkyl, etc. Certain of the compounds, such as 2,3-dihydro-5,6-dimethyl-1,4-dithiin 1,1,4,4-tetroxide, are new chemicals, and are useful as pre-and post-emergent herbicides, and in harvest aid procedures, such as defoliation/desiccation of various crops, including cotton and potatoes.

Abstract: Substituted 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins of the formula ##STR1## display useful plant growth regulant effects including herbicidal effects. Examples are 2,3-dihydro-5,6-diphenyl-1,4-oxathiin, and 2,3-dihydro-5-(4-methylphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,4-oxathiin 4-oxide. The compounds are useful for the selective control of grasses and as dwarfing agents, as well as for inhibition of vegetative and reproductive axillary growth, and for increasing the sugar content of sugar producing species. A number of these are new compounds.

Abstract: Regulation of the growth of plant life, including herbicidal, defoliant or desiccant effects, may be accomplished with certain 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dithiin 1,1,4,4-tetroxides of the formula ##STR1## wherein the R's have various values such as hydrogen, alkyl, etc. Certain of the compounds, such as 2,3-dihydro-5,6-dimethyl-1,4-dithiin 1,1,4,4-tetroxide, are new chemicals, and are useful as pre-and post-emergent herbicides, and in harvest aid procedures, such as defoliation/desiccation of various crops, including cotton and potatoes.

Abstract: New 2-(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl) benzoic acids and salts and esters thereof, as well as certain 2-(2-oxazolyl) benzoic acids, salts and esters, having the formula: ##SPC1##Where X is nitrogen or C-R" (R" being hydrogen or methyl), R is phenyl or various substituents, and R' and the Y's are hydrogen or various substituents, are effective preemergence or postemergence herbicides, on various crops. The chemicals act selectively and are useful against purple nutsedge and in cranberry. Oxadiazoles of the invention may be made by reacting a benzhydrazide with phthalic anhydride to form a hydrazide which is cyclized by removal of the elements of water, using as a catalyst fuming sulfuric acid or dimethylformamide-sulfur trioxide complex.

Abstract: Substituted 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins of the formula ##SPC1##Display useful plant growth regulant effects including herbicidal effects. Examples are 2,3-dihydro-5,6-diphenyl-1,4-oxathiin, and 2,3-dihydro-5-(4-methyl-phenyl)-6-phenyl-1,4-oxathiin 4-oxide. The compounds are useful for the selective control of grasses and as dwarfing agents, as well as for inhibition of vegetative and reproductive axillary growth, and for increasing the sugar content of sugar producing species. A number of these are new compounds.This invention relates to a method of regulating the growth of plants and to plant growth regulant compositions useful in such method, as well as to chemical compounds useful in such compositions.Regulation of the growth of plants is frequently desirable for a number of reasons. For example, the control of weeds is of great economic importance. Weed competition inhibits the production of foliage, fruit or seed of agricultural crops.

Abstract: Plant growth regulant effects, such as dwarfing, cessation of terminal growth, increased flower set, increased fruit and pod set, fruiting body abortion, twisting and epinastic responses, etc., may be accomplished on crops such as soybeans, cotton, etc., by application of certain 2-(1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl) or 2-(2-oxazolyl) or 2-(1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acids, salts and esters, having the formula ##SPC1##Where X is nitrogen or C--R" (R" being hydrogen or methyl), Z is oxygen or sulfur when X is nitrogen, Z is oxygen when X is C--R", R is phenyl or various substituents, and R' is hydrogen or various substituents. An example is 2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acid. The compounds where X is nitrogen and Z is sulfur are new compounds, e.g., 2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)benzoic acid.