New substituted sulfonyl urea are disclosed of the general formula STR1 in which R1 is chlorine, --COOR5, --S(O)n --R6 or STR2 R2 is STR3 or --CH2 --C C--R11, R3 is hydrogen, C1 -C4 -alkyl, C1 -C4 -alkylthio, halogen, halogen-C1 -C4 -alkyl, halogen-C1 -C4 -alkoxy, Di-C1 -C3 -alkyl-amino, C1 -C3 -alkyl-amino or C1 -C3 -alkoxy-C1 -C3 -alkoxy, R4 is hydrogen C1 -C4 -alkyl, C1 -C4 -alkoxy, C1 -C4 -alkylthio, halogen, halogen-C1 -C4 -alkyl, halogen-C1 -C4 -alkoxy, Di-C1 -C3 -alkyl-amino, C1 -C3 -alkyl-amino, or C1 -C3 -alkoxy-C1 -C3 -alkoxy, Z is --CH= or --N=, R5 is C1 -C8 -alkyl, C3 -C8 -cycloalkyl, C1 -C3 -alkoxy-C1 -C3 -alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, benzene or substituted benzene, R6 is C1 -C6 -alkyl or phenyl, R7 is C1 -C4 -alkyl, R8 is C1 -C4 -alkyl, R7 and R8 are independently C3 -C8 -cycloalkyl, morpholinyl, pyrrolidinyl, piperidyl or piperazinyl, R9 is hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, or C1 -C3 -alkyl, R10 is hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl or C1 -C3 -alkyl, R11 is hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, cyano, C1 -C4 -alkyl or phenyl, X is oxygen or sulfur, and n is 0, 1 or 2, as well as processes for the preparation of these compounds and compositions having herbicidal and plant growth regulating effectiveness.