Cyanoacrylates. Herbicidal and Photosynthetic Inhibitory Activity

Various alkyl 3-phenylamino-2-cyano-and 2-ethoxycarbonylacrylates and 3-phenylamino-2-cyanoacrylonitriles were synthesized and assayed as inhibitors of the Hill reaction in isolated pea chloroplast suspensions and as pre-and post-emergent herbicides on mustard and barnyard grass. Many of the compounds were potent Hill reaction inhibitors and several showed significant herbicidal activity.