The invention herein pertains to 2 to 6 fluorinated methyl-dihydropyridine-3, 5-dicarboxylic acid esters which may be substituted in the 4 position and to herbicidal compositions and methods utilizing said compounds.
The difluoromethyl-containing Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridines were synthesized in good yields by a one-pot cyclocondensation of ethyl difluoroacetoacetate (EDFAA), a variety of aromatic aldehydes and ammonium acetate under solvent and catalyst free conditions. The comparison of reaction conditions and products was made among the different 1,3-carbonyl substrates (ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl difluoroacetoacetate and ethyl trifluoroacetoacetate) for the Hantzsch reaction.