The present invention relates to esters of carboxylic acid agrochemicals comprising a labile protecting group and having formula (I). Certain of the esters of carboxylic acid agrochemicals do not undergo hydrolysis to a significant degree in the dark, but are cleaved to regenerate the parent carboxylic acid agrochemical when exposed to light. Others of the esters of carboxylic acid agrochemicals undergo hydrolysis under both light and dark conditions. The present invention further relates to methods for the controlled release of a carboxylic acid agrochemicals, and to methods of controlling unwanted plants comprising applying to the unwanted plants an ester of a carboxylic acid agrochemical.

A photoactivatable caged compound (TPE-C) with AIE characteristics is designed and synthesized. TPE-C is non-emissive either in solution or in aggregated state, but its luminescence can be induced to emit strong cyan emission in aggregated state by UV irradiation. Such property enables TPE-C to be applied in photo-patterning and anti-counterfeiting related areas.

A photoactivatable caged compound (TPE-C) with AIE characteristics is designed and synthesized. TPE-C is non-emissive either in solution or in aggregated state, but its luminescence can be induced to emit strong cyan emission in aggregated state by UV irradiation. Such property enables TPE-C to be applied in photo-patterning and anti-counterfeiting related areas.

A nitro compound represented by formula (1) which is a raw material for producing a compound represented by formula (7) can be produced by reacting at least one type selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (2), a compound represented by formula (3), and a compound represented by formula (3) with a compound represented by formula (4). [In the formula, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independently a hydrogen atom, etc., X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are each independently a chlorine atom, etc., R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, and R.sup.9 are a hydrogen atom, etc., provided that X.sup.1, X.sup.2, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, and R.sup.9 are not all the same, X.sup.3, X.sup.4, and X.sup.5 are a halogen atom, R.sup.10 is a nitro group, etc., R.sup.5 is an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, etc., and M is an alkali metal atom.] ##STR00001##

A nitro compound represented by formula (1) which is a raw material for producing a compound represented by formula (7) can be produced by reacting at least one type selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (2), a compound represented by formula (3), and a compound represented by formula (3) with a compound represented by formula (4). [In the formula, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independently a hydrogen atom, etc., X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are each independently a chlorine atom, etc., R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, and R.sup.9 are a hydrogen atom, etc., provided that X.sup.1, X.sup.2, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, and R.sup.9 are not all the same, X.sup.3, X.sup.4, and X.sup.5 are a halogen atom, R.sup.10 is a nitro group, etc., R.sup.5 is an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, etc., and M is an alkali metal atom.] ##STR00001##

A nitro compound represented by formula (1) which is a raw material for producing a compound represented by formula (7) can be produced by reacting at least one type selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (2), a compound represented by formula (3), and a compound represented by formula (3) with a compound represented by formula (4). [In the formula, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independently a hydrogen atom, etc., X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are each independently a chlorine atom, etc., R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, and R.sup.9 are a hydrogen atom, etc., provided that X.sup.1, X.sup.2, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, and R.sup.9 are not all the same, X.sup.3, X.sup.4, and X.sup.5 are a halogen atom, R.sup.10 is a nitro group, etc., R.sup.5 is an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, etc., and M is an alkali metal atom.] ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to esters of carboxylic acid agrochemicals comprising a labile protecting group and having formula (I). Certain of the esters of carboxylic acid agrochemicals do not undergo hydrolysis to a significant degree in the dark, but are cleaved to regenerate the parent carboxylic acid agrochemical when exposed to light. Others of the esters of carboxylic acid agrochemicals undergo hydrolysis under both light and dark conditions. The present invention further relates to methods for the controlled release of a carboxylic acid agrochemicals, and to methods of controlling unwanted plants comprising applying to the unwanted plants an ester of a carboxylic acid agrochemical.