Synthesis and Herbicidal Activity of Substituted Tetrahydronaphthalenes: I

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/ps.2780440206

This paper reports the synthesis and the biological activity of substituted 6-alkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,1-dimethylnaphthalenes in which the substituents at the 5- and/or 7-position are varied with a multitude of functional groups. These compounds exhibited pre-emergent herbicidal activity which was a function of the electron-withdrawing ability and the size of the groups substituted at the 5- and/or 7-position. Nitro and/or nitrile groups at these positions tended to optimize activity.