2,4-DIHALO-5-NITROPHENYL-4,5,6,7-TETRAHYDRO-2H-INDAZOLES, AND THEIR PRODUCTION AND USE

Abstract: a 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl-4,5,6,7-­ tetrahydro-2H-indazole compound of the formula: wherein X is a chlorine atom or a bromine atom and Z is a chlorine atom or a methyl group, which is an intermediate useful in the production of certain 2-substituted phenyl-4,5,6,7-trtrahydro-2H-indazoles having herbicidal activity.

Description: The present invention relates to 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazoles, and their production and use. The said indazoles are representable by the formula: wherein X is a chlorine atom or a bromine atom, and Z is a chlorine atom or a methyl group. The compounds of the present invention are intermediates in the production of 2-substituted phenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazoles which possess herbicidal activity and which have the general formula wherein X is a chlorine atom or a bromine atom, Y is an oxygen atom or an imino group, Z is a chlorine atom or a methyl group and R is an alkyl group of more than one but not more than four carbon atoms, a C₃-C₄ alkenyl group, a C₃-C₄ alkynyl group, a C₁-C₆ alkoxycarbonylmethyl group, a C₃-C₆ cycloalkoxycarbonylmethyl group or a C₁-C₄ haloalkoxycarbonylmethyl group. These compounds have a strong herbicidal activity against a wide variety of weeds including broad-leaved weeds and Graminaceous weeds in agricultural ploughed fields as well as weeds in paddy fields at small doses and do not produce any significant phytotoxicity to various agricultural crops (i.e. corn, wheat, soybean, cotton and rice plants). These compounds and their preparation and use are described in our co-pending European Patent No. 105 721. The indazole (I) may be obtained by reacting a 2,4-dihalo-5-substituted phenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole of the formula: wherein X and Z are each as defined above and A is an amino group or a hydroxyl group with a halogenated compound of the formula: wherein R is as defined above and B is a halogen atom. The 2,4-dihalo-5-substituted phenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole (II) wherein A is an amino group is obtainable by reacting a 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenylhydrazine of the formula: wherein X is as defined above with a 2-alkoxycarbonylcyclohexanone of the formula: wherein R' is a C₁-C₄ alkyl group to give a 2-(2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl)hexahydroindazol-3-one of the formula: wherein X is as defined above, followed by reacting the latter with a chlorinating agent to give the compound of the formula: wherein X is as defined above and Z is a chlorine atom. The first reaction may be carried out in a solvent at a temperature of 80 to 200° for a period of 0.5 to 20 hours. The 2-alkoxycarbonylcyclohexanone (V) is usually employed in an amount of 1 to 1.2 equivalents to the substituted phenylhydrazine (IX). Examples of the solvent are toluene, xylene, acetic acid, etc. The second reaction is normally carried out in a solvent at a temperature of 80 to 200°C for a period of 5 to 20 hours. The chlorinating agent may be employed in an excess amount to the intermediary product (X). Examples of the chlorinating agent are phosphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride, phosgene, oxalic dichloride, trichloromethyl chloroformate, etc. Examples of the solvent are toluene, xylene, chloroform, etc. The compound of formula (XI) is then subjected to reduction with an acid (e.g. hydrochloric acid or acetic acid) and iron powder. Alternatively, the 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl-hydrazine (IX) may be reacted with 2-acetyl-cyclohexanone as in the manner as described above to give a 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole of the formula: wherein X is as defined above and Z is as defined above and Z is a methyl group, followed by subjecting the latter to reduction by a per se conventional procedure such as reduction with an acid (e.g. hydrochloric acid, acetic acid) and iron powder. The intermediary 2,4-diahlo-5-nitro-phenylhydrazine (IX), may be produced according to the following scheme: wherein X is each as defined above. The above conversion is known and described in the art. The present invention is further described with reference to the following Examples. Example 1 Production of the 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole (XI):- 4-Chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitrophenylhydrazine (4 g), 2-acetylcyclohexanone (2.8 g) and a catalytic amount of acetic acid were admixed with xylene (10 ml). The resultant mixture was heated under reflux for 5 hours while removing water. After cooling, the mixture was concentrated and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography to give 2.3 g of 2-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitrophenyl)-3-methyl -4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole. M.P., 143 - 144°C. Example 2 Production of the 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole (XI):- A solution of 4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitrophenyl-hydrazine (4.6 g) and 2-ethoxycarbonylcyclohexanone (3.9 g) in acetic acid (20 ml) was heated under reflux for 4 hours. After cooling, the precipitated crystals were collected by filtration and washed with ether to give 4.2 g of 2-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitrophenyl)-2,3a,4,5,6,7-hexahydroisoindazol-3-one. The thus obtained product was added to a lM solution of phosgene in toluene (300 ml) and the resultant mixture was heated under reflux for 3 hours. After cooling, the mixture was concentrated and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography to give 0.8 g of 3-chloro-2-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitrophenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole. M.P., 120 - 122°C. Example 3 Production of the nitroaniline (XIII):- 4-Chloro-2-fluoroaniline (23 g) was dissolved in conc, sulfuric acid (120 ml), and the resultant mixture was cooled to -20°C, followed by dropwise addition of fuming nitric acid (15 g). The reaction mixture was stirred at -20 to -15°C for 1.5 hours, poured into ice-water and then extracted with ether. The ether extract was washed with water and a saturated sodium bicarbonate solution, dried and concentrated. The residue was crystallized from a mixture of toluene and hexane (2 : 1) to obtain 20 g of 4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitroaniline. M.P., 83 - 84.5°C. Example 4 In the same manner as in Example 3 but using 4-bromo-2-fluoroaniline, there was obtained 4-bromo-2-fluoro-5-nitroaniline. M.P., 90 - 92°C.

Claims: A 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole compound of the formula: wherein X is a chlorine atom or a bromine atom and Z is a chlorine atom or methyl group. 2-(4-Chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitrophenyl)-3-methyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole. 3-Chloro-2-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-nitrophenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole. A process for the preparation of a compound of as claimed in claim 1 wherein X is a chlorine atom or a bromine atom and Z is a chlorine atom, which process comprises reacting a 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenylhydrazine of the formula: wherein X is as defined above with a 2-alkoxycarbonylcyclohexanone of the formula: wherein R' us a C₁-C₄ alkyl group to give a compound of the formula wherein X is a defined above, followed by reacting the compound of formula (X) with a chlorinating agent. A process for the preparation of a compound as claimed in claim 1 wherein X is a chlorine atom or a bromine atom and Z is a methyl group, which process comprises reacting a 2,4-dihalo-5-nitrophenylhydrazine of the formula wherein X is as defined above with 2-acetyl cyclohexanone.

Inventors: FUKUSHIMA, MASAYUKI, MATSUMOTO, HIROSHI C/O SUMITOMO CHEMICAL SHATAKU, NAGANO, EIKI, TAKEMOTO, ICHIKI, YOSHIDA, RYO
Applicants: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Application year: 1983
Main classification: C07D231
IPC codes: C07D231, A01N43